ABSTRACT

Menopause is characterized by decreased ovarian response to gonadotropins and decreased follicular development and estrogen secretion. While estrogen has epileptogenic features, progesterone has totally opposite effects. Having frequent seizures, start of epilepsy at early ages and its long duration all affect menopause starting age. Effects like women being in the peri or post period of menopause that have different hormonal characteristics, starting of menopause to be with physiological or surgical intervention, presence of catamenial seizures before menopause are effective on the process of seizures during menopause period. The contents and the dosage of the preparations used in the hormonal replacement may affect the frequency of the seizures. In this review, the effect of epilepsy on menopause period, effect of menopause to epilepsy and the effects of hormonal replacement treatment on epileptic patients are discussed in the light of relevant literature.

Keywords: Epilepsy, estrogen, hormone replacement therapy, menopause