Infantile and early childhood masturbation: sex hormones and clinical profile

Few studies have explored the hormonal triggers for masturbation in infants and young children. Thus, we aimed to study the sex hormones and clinical profiles of masturbating infants and young children. This case-control study involved infants and young children who masturbate and were referred to three pediatric neurology clinics between September 2004 and 2006 [n=13], and a similar control group. All children underwent basic laboratory investigations prior to referral. Other tests included electroencephalography [n=8] and brain neuroimaging [n=9]. We measured dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, free testosterone, estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin [SHBG], and androstenedione in all participants. The median age at the first incident was 19.5 months [range, 4-36 months]; the median masturbation frequency, 4 times/day; and the median duration of each event, 3.9 min. The subjects masturbated in both prone [n=10] and supine positions [n=3]; two subjects used the knee-chest position. All subjects showed facial flushing; 6, friction between the thighs; 5, sweating; 9, sleeping after the event; and 12, disturbance on interruption. EEG was abnormal in one of eight subjects tested, and neuroimages were normal in all of nine subjects examined. The case and control groups had comparable levels of all sex hormones, except estradiol, which showed significantly lower levels in the case group [P=.02]. Masturbation in children seems to be associated with reduced estradiol levels, but not with other sex hormones. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings

New antiepileptic drugs a clinical overview

After a gap of approximately 20 years, a new generation of antiepileptic drugs [AEDs] has recently been developed. More than 8 drugs have been licensed in at least one country during the 1990s. While lamotrigine, gabapentin, vigabatrin and oxcarbazepine are widely used in some countries, felbamate, topiramate, tiagabine, levetiracetam, and zonisamide are still used on a narrow scale. A feeling of optimism occurs after the development of these drugs, although only a small number of epileptic patients become free of seizures after the addition of these new AEDs to their regimen. Generally, the safety profile of the new AEDs is only slightly better than that of established drugs and their efficacy is strongly associated with the use of high doses. This article reviews new AEDs by studying their clinical pharmacological effects, mechanisms of action as antiepileptic agents, side effects, drug-drug interactions and the appropriate regimen of their use

Guanosine 3', 5'-monophosphate is not a marker of the proepileptic activity of valproic acid in hippocampal brain tissues

Guanosine 3',5 monophosphate [cGMP] can be used as a marker of the epileptogenicity of proconvulsant drugs. As valproic acid [VPA], at certain concentrations, acts as a proconvulsant agent in hippocampal pyramidal neurons when tested in the veratridine model, this investigation was conducted to study the effect of proconvulsant concentrations of VPA on the basal level of cGMP in hippocampal tissue. Experiments were performed using standard radioimmuonassay techniques in hippocampal tissues from rats. This study was carried out at the Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America between 1996-1997. We found that veratridine [0.3, 1 and 2 micro M, n=3] increased the level of cGMP in hippocampal tissue in a concentration dependent manner. However, VPA at proepileptic concentrations [0.1, 2, 5 micro M, n=3], did not significantly affect the basal level of cGMP when added alone or with veratridine [0.3 micro M]. Guanosine 3',5' monophosphate is not a marker of the proepileptic activity of VPA in brain tissues

Proteinuria selectivity in childhood nephrotic syndrome

To assess the value of proteinuria selectivity index [PSI] in predicting the response of children with nephrotic syndrome to corticosteroid therapy and its correlation with renal biopsy findings. Setting: Paediatric Department, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Dublin, Ireland. Design: Retrospective analysis of the records of 39 children admitted to the above hospital with nephrotic syndrome. PSI was performed for all children prior to therapy. All received corticosteroid therapy according to the protocol of International Study of Kidney disease in Children for initial attacks and relapses. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to their response to steroid; steroid responsive infrequent relapsers [n.15], steroid responsive frequent relapsers [10] and steroid resistant [8]. PSI of < 0.01 was statistically significant in differentiation between the steroid responsive and resistant nephrotic syndrome. All children in the latter group had non-minimal change lesions on biopsy. Protein selectivity index should continue to be one of the valuable initial tests in childhood nephrotic syndrome due to its useful additional predictive value on the response to steroid in those patients

treatment of rheumatic chorea with sodium valproate

Three patients with rheumatic chorea were treated with sodium valproate for their involuntary movements. A few days after the start of the treatment, chorea disappeared completely. One patient had a relapse after discontinuation of the drug, but responded quickly to the same drug after reusage. It appears that sodium valproate is a promising drug in the treatment of rheumatic chorea