[Season fluctuations of carbamazepine and valproate concentration in patients with epilepsy].

We studied 107 patients with epilepsy who received monotherapy with valproic acid drugs (58) and carbamazepine (49). The seasonal distribution of number and severity of seizures assessed with the NHS3 scale in dependence of Cmin and Cmax content of antiepileptic drugs carbamazepine and valproates in the serum of patients was estimated. There was a significant increase in the number of seizures and their severity in the cycle spring>autumn>summer>winter. The serum content of carbamazepine and valproates was significantly lower in spring compared to autumn.

Effects of tenoten on anxiety and depression disorders in patients with epilepsy.

The efficiency and safety of tenoten for anxiety and depression disorders in epileptics has been demonstrated. The drug does not change the incidence and severity of epileptic episodes, does not deteriorate the course of the underlying disease, and can be well combined with anticonvulsants. The results indicate the efficiency of tenoten used to arrest the anxio-depressive disorders in epilepsy.

[Concentrations of urine 6-sulfatoxymelatonin during the treatment of patients with epilepsy: a pilot clinical trial].

The effect of the epiphysis hormone melatonin on the brain bioelectrical activity is understudied: the data of experimental and clinical studies of melatonin effects are inconclusive and related mostly to exogenous administration. We studied 43 patients with focal epilepsy, 25 patients with cryptogenic epilepsy and 18 with symptomatic epilepsy. Carbamazepine and valproate were used as anticonvulsive drugs. Morning and evening urine concentrations of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (6-COM), the main melatonin metabolite, were determined twice using immunoassay method: in autumn at the inclusion in the study and beginning of the anticonvulsant treatment and after 6 months, in spring, when anticonvulsant doses had been adjusted. The presence of epileptic seizures was associated with the reduction of melatonin concentration in the body that was supported by the decrease of urine 6-COM, in particular in the morning, in non-treated patients. Prescription of anticonvulsant treatment resulted in the increase of 6-COM. The concentration of the morning urine 6-COM was higher in patients with focal epilepsy receiving anticonvulsant treatment with valproate compared to those receiving carbamazepine: 49.28±6.71 and 37.09±5.43 ng/ml versus 20.00±3.6 and 13.11±2.08 ng/ml in patients treated with valproate and carbamazepine, respectively, before and after the adjustment.

[Estrogens and brain].

Recent data upon molecular mechanisms of pleiotropic action of estrogens in human brain is presented in the article. Given detailed descriptions of properties of classical and membrane bound estradiol receptors, that maintain gene expression regulation, modulation of neurotransmittent systems and signal cascade activation in neuronal cells. Data upon regional distribution of estradiol receptor subtypes in the brain, their participation in main cell population function control (including progenitor cells) is given. Special attention is paid to estrogen participation in neurogenesis, inflammation and apoptosis regulation in central nervous system; in the control of formation and functioning of cerebral vessels.

[Autochronometry in patients with focal epilepsy].

A study included 163 patients with focal cryptogenic and symptomatic forms of epilepsy and 47 sex- and age-matched controls. Disturbances of autochronometry in epileptic patients were studied with regard to character, duration, severity, seasonality of seizures and localization of pathological activity in EEG. The elongation of internal count of chronominutes and the ratio of individual chronominute to duration of daylight hours suggest either the approach of a seizure or the early post seizure period, the effect of the completed seizure. The right hemisphere lesion mostly impacts on the patient's perception of time making it longer.

[Gestagens and the brain].

Modern data on molecular mechanisms underlying intracerebral pleutropic action ofgestagens (progesterone, its metabolites, and synthetic gestagens) are reviewed. Properties of classical and membrane-bound progesterone receptors involved in regulation of gene expression, modulation of neurotransmitter systems, and activation of signal cascades in neurons are described along with data of regional distribution of progesterone receptor subtypes in brain, metabolism, functional activity, and mechanisms of action of progesterone metabolites. Special attention is given to analysis of progesterone and metabolite neuroprotective activity in CNS, such as anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects, and participation in neurogenesis regulation. Clinical application of progesterone-based drugs is discussed with reference to the treatment of brain injuries and prospects for extension of indications for their use in neurologic practice.

[The neurophysiological analysis of symptomatic post-traumatic epilepsy].

To identify correlates of epilepsy development in patients after brain injury, the authors carried out a comparative assessment of the spatial organization of brain electrical activity in patients with consequences of closed craniocerebral injury without epilepsy (53 patients) and in patients with post-traumatic epilepsy (43 patients). A control group included 15 subjects. The EEG study with spectral coherent analysis allows to predict post-traumatic epilepsy and to use a differential approach in prescribing the appropriate anticonvulsive therapy to people after head injury.

[Effect of carbamazepine on the structure-function relations in the development of the epileptic structure]. / Vliianie karbamazepina na strukturno-funktsional'nye sviazi v razvitii épilepticheskoi sistemy.

The experiments on white outbred male rats with cobalt-induced epileptogenic focus in the left sensomotor cortical region showed that the anticonvulsant effect of carbamazepine (20 mg/kg) depends on the functional state of the epileptic system (ES). In various stages of the ES development, the drug effect is related to the influence upon the determinant focus generating the epileptic activity. In the initial stage, carbamazepine primarily affects epileptic activity of the cortical foci (ipsi- and contralateral hemisphere). In the second (generalization) stage, the drug decreases the epileptic activity in all structures, but to a greater extent, in the dorsal hippocampus and lateral hypothalamus.

[Spatial organization of bioelectrical brain activity in epilepsy and amenorrhea of central genesis]. / Prostranstvennaia organizatsiia bioélektricheskoi aktivnosti golovnogo mozga pri épilepsii i amenoree tsentral'nogo geneza.

The study aimed at modification of co-herent analysis (CA), as a mathematical method for EEG data processing for objective evaluation of bioelectric brain activity spatial organization in women with epilepsy and secondary amenorrhea of central genesis. One hundred sixty one women (30 with epilepsy, 116 with amenorrhea and 115 controls aged 15 to 41 years) have been examined. Characteristic changes of cortico-cortical inter- and intra-hemisphere relations for patients with catamenial (CTM) and noncatamenial (NCTM) epilepsy in different menstrual cycle terms were found. The most distinct changes were detected in theta-activity analysis. In the beginning of menstrual cycle, the patients with CTM epilepsy exhibited higher CA indices in theta-rhythm range in all right hemisphere pairs studied. On the contrary, patients with NCTM epilepsy exhibited lower CA indices mainly in the right brain hemisphere. alpha-rhythm spatial organization analysis in the same patients showed similar correlations, but they were better expressed in alpha-rhythm generation zone: in the beginning of menstrual cycle CA indices were high in patients with CTM epilepsy and low in those with NCTM epilepsy. Comparing to controls, patients with secondary amenorrhea of central genesis showed most distinct changes in theta-activity towards the CA indices increase in the majority of the leads. In patients with epilepsy and amenorrhea, CA indices of right brain hemisphere and intra-central temporal lead pairs were lower than in patients with amenorrhea without epilepsy by both alpha- and theta-rhythms.

[The modifying action of calcium antagonists on postirradiation thymidinemia]. / Modifitsiruiushchee deistvie antagonista kal'tsiia na postradiatsionnuiu timidinemiiu.

Single and long-term per os administration of verapamil, a calcium antagonist, changes the thymidine content of nonirradiated mouse blood. The changes observed depend upon verapamil concentration in the blood. The postirradiation thymidinemia level is the lowest in animals exposed at the time when the thymidine content was minimized by the agent administered.

[Natural antitumor cytotoxicity of the whole blood of donors and cancer patients]. / Estestvennaia protivoopukholevaia tsitotoksichnost' tsel'noi krovi donorov i onkologicheskikh bol'nykh.

Natural antitumor resistance of cancer patients and healthy subjects was studied on the basis of whole blood natural cytotoxicity (WBNC) assay. A correlation between WBNC and mononuclear leukocyte cytotoxic activity in healthy donors was established (r = 0.912; p less than 0.001). WBNC levels in colonic, breast and gastric cancer patients were decreased as compared with healthy controls.