pituitrin and Epilepsy--Temporal-Lobe

Autism is a disorder characterized by social withdrawal, impoverished language and empathy, and a profound inability to adopt another's viewpoint - a failure to construct a "theory of mind" for interpreting another person's thoughts and intentions. We previously showed that these symptoms might be explained, in part, by a paucity of mirror neurons. Prompted by an MRI report of an individual with autism, we now suggest that there may be, in addition, a congenital aplasia/dysplasia of the olfactory bulbs with consequent reduction of vasopressin and oxytocin receptor binding. There may also be sub-clinical temporal lobe epilepsy affecting the recently discovered third visual system that is rich in "empathy" related mirror neurons (MNS) and projects (via the TOP junction - just below the inferior parietal lobule) to limbic structures that regulate autonomic outflow. This causes deranged autonomic feedback, resulting in additional deficiencies in MNS with loss of emotional empathy and introspection.

Topics: Autistic Disorder; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe; Humans; Neurons; Olfactory Bulb; Primary Dysautonomias; Receptors, Oxytocin; Vasopressins

The time course and extent of changes in plasma prolactin, noradrenaline, vasopressin and oxytocin levels is reported following serial observations of a prolonged epileptic seizure arising in the temporal lobe, recorded by video-EEG-telemetry, in which the epileptic activity evolved from a simple partial to complex partial to secondarily generalised attack. The prolactin levels were markedly elevated during the phase of the simple partial seizure, at a time when consciousness was preserved, when motor activity was minimal and when EEG activity was highly localised. The hormonal levels continued to rise during the subsequent seizure evolution, suggesting that the duration (or intensity) of the seizure is an important, perhaps the most important, factor determining the degree of prolactin release during limbic seizures. Indeed, the prolactin elevation in this case (26 times the baseline level) is higher than any previously recorded, reflecting the unusual duration and intensity of this seizure. We did not observe the phenomenon of "exhaustion" of prolactin release and levels peaked after 49 min, and were high for over 2 h after the onset of the seizure, and after the convulsion had ceased. The concentrations of vasopressin, oxytocin and noradrenaline remained low during the aura, but rapidly increased during the phase of generalisation. The oxytocin and noradrenaline levels peaked during the phase of generalised convulsion, but the vasopressin levels peaked well into the post ictal phase, and remained high for several hours.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Adolescent; Electroencephalography; Epilepsies, Partial; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe; Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic; Evoked Potentials; Female; Humans; Hypothalamus; Limbic System; Monitoring, Physiologic; Neural Inhibition; Norepinephrine; Oxytocin; Prolactin; Temporal Lobe; Vasopressins

Results of using vasopressin and pituitrin in 20 patients with memory disturbances of various genesis (due to circulatory disturbances in the vertebrobasilar system, cerebral atherosclerosis, neurasthenia, brain concussion, epilepsy) are reviewed. The therapeutic efficacy of the hormones was evaluated with the use of a complex of psychophysiological methods. Objective changes in the patients' neurological status and subjective state were taken into account. A high therapeutic efficacy of the hormones in the treatment of amnestic syndromes is demonstrated.

Topics: Adult; Amnesia, Retrograde; Basilar Artery; Brain Concussion; Brain Ischemia; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe; Female; Humans; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis; Male; Memory Disorders; Middle Aged; Neurasthenia; Pituitary Hormones, Posterior; Vasopressins; Vertebral Artery