Biomaterial Database

Melatonin and childhood refractory epilepsy--a pilot study. 2010

Justyna Paprocka, and Renata Dec, and Ewa Jamroz, and Elzbieta Marszał

Child Neurology Department, Silesian Medical University, Katowice, Poland.

BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to assess diurnal melatonin secretion in children with refractory epilepsy (N=74) as compared to children without epileptic seizures (N=37) and to compare melatonin secretion in children with focal and generalized refractory epilepsy. METHODS In the study group 4 subgroups were defined: children with focal symptomatic epilepsy, focal cryptogenic epilepsy, generalized symptomatic epilepsy, and generalized cryptogenic epilepsy. Melatonin level was measured every 3 hours using the RIA method. RESULTS Analysis of diurnal melatonin secretion indicated a lower level of the hormone in patients with refractory epilepsy. The daily rhythm of melatonin secretion in the study group was maintained, with a peak shift of melatonin secretion especially visible in the subgroup with generalized symptomatic refractory epilepsy in the age group between 6 months and 3 years of age. CONCLUSIONS The hypothesis may be formed that a lowered level of melatonin in the study group in relation to the comparison group is the consequence of the natural course of epilepsy or is influenced by antiepileptic drugs.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D008297	Male		Males
D008550	Melatonin	A biogenic amine that is found in animals and plants. In mammals, melatonin is produced by the PINEAL GLAND. Its secretion increases in darkness and decreases during exposure to light. Melatonin is implicated in the regulation of SLEEP, mood, and REPRODUCTION. Melatonin is also an effective antioxidant.
D010865	Pilot Projects	Small-scale tests of methods and procedures to be used on a larger scale if the pilot study demonstrates that these methods and procedures can work.	Pilot Studies,Pilot Study,Pilot Project,Project, Pilot,Projects, Pilot,Studies, Pilot,Study, Pilot
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D002940	Circadian Rhythm	The regular recurrence, in cycles of about 24 hours, of biological processes or activities, such as sensitivity to drugs or environmental and physiological stimuli.	Diurnal Rhythm,Nyctohemeral Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythm,Nycthemeral Rhythm,Circadian Rhythms,Diurnal Rhythms,Nycthemeral Rhythms,Nyctohemeral Rhythms,Rhythm, Circadian,Rhythm, Diurnal,Rhythm, Nycthemeral,Rhythm, Nyctohemeral,Rhythm, Twenty-Four Hour,Rhythms, Circadian,Rhythms, Diurnal,Rhythms, Nycthemeral,Rhythms, Nyctohemeral,Rhythms, Twenty-Four Hour,Twenty Four Hour Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythms
D004827	Epilepsy	A disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of paroxysmal brain dysfunction due to a sudden, disorderly, and excessive neuronal discharge. Epilepsy classification systems are generally based upon: (1) clinical features of the seizure episodes (e.g., motor seizure), (2) etiology (e.g., post-traumatic), (3) anatomic site of seizure origin (e.g., frontal lobe seizure), (4) tendency to spread to other structures in the brain, and (5) temporal patterns (e.g., nocturnal epilepsy). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p313)	Aura,Awakening Epilepsy,Seizure Disorder,Epilepsy, Cryptogenic,Auras,Cryptogenic Epilepsies,Cryptogenic Epilepsy,Epilepsies,Epilepsies, Cryptogenic,Epilepsy, Awakening,Seizure Disorders
D004829	Epilepsy, Generalized	Recurrent conditions characterized by epileptic seizures which arise diffusely and simultaneously from both hemispheres of the brain. Classification is generally based upon motor manifestations of the seizure (e.g., convulsive, nonconvulsive, akinetic, atonic, etc.) or etiology (e.g., idiopathic, cryptogenic, and symptomatic). (From Mayo Clin Proc, 1996 Apr;71(4):405-14)	Convulsive Generalized Seizure Disorder,Epilepsy, Tonic,Generalized Nonconvulsive Seizure Disorder,Seizure Disorder, Generalized,Convulsive Seizure Disorder, Generalized,Epilepsy, Akinetic,Epilepsy, Atonic,Generalized Convulsive Epilepsy,Generalized Nonconvulsive Epilepsy,Generalized Onset Seizure Disorder,Generalized Seizure Disorder, Convulsive,Generalized Seizure Disorder, Nonconvulsive,Nonconvulsive Generalized Seizure Disorder,Nonconvulsive Seizure Disorder, Generalized,Seizure Disorder, Convulsive, Generalized,Seizure Disorder, Generalized Nonconvulsive,Seizure Disorder, Generalized Onset,Seizure Disorder, Generalized, Convulsive,Seizure Disorder, Nonconvulsive Generalized,Symptomatic Generalized Epilepsy,Akinetic Epilepsies,Akinetic Epilepsy,Atonic Epilepsies,Atonic Epilepsy,Convulsive Epilepsies, Generalized,Convulsive Epilepsy, Generalized,Epilepsies, Akinetic,Epilepsies, Atonic,Epilepsies, Generalized,Epilepsies, Generalized Convulsive,Epilepsies, Tonic,Epilepsy, Generalized Convulsive,Epilepsy, Generalized Nonconvulsive,Epilepsy, Symptomatic Generalized,Generalized Convulsive Epilepsies,Generalized Epilepsies,Generalized Epilepsy,Generalized Epilepsy, Symptomatic,Generalized Seizure Disorder,Generalized Seizure Disorders,Nonconvulsive Epilepsy, Generalized,Seizure Disorders, Generalized,Tonic Epilepsies,Tonic Epilepsy
D005260	Female		Females