RESUMO
This work aimed to study the relation between progesterone and estrogen hormones and temporal lope epilepsy [TLE]. The serum levels of estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone [LH], follicle stimulating hormone and prolactin were assayed for each of 40 consecutive women with TLE and 20 age matched healthy controls; 20 out of the 40 women had menstrual disturbances and 16 from them had reproductive endocrine disorders. Polycystic ovarian [PCO] syndrome and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism [HH] significantly occurred more often in women with TLE than in the general female population. Some patients had LH concentrations above the control range, but they had not any specific syndrome. While, the mean level of LH was significantly higher in patients than in the controls, its concentrations were above or below the normal control range in all women who had abnormal endocrinal findings. The mean level of progesterone was significantly lower in patients than in the controls and all these low levels were exclusively found in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome [PCO] syndrome or hypogonadotropic hypogonadism [HH]