Menopause and epilepsy

TL;DRAbstract

This chapter reviews the issues women face regarding menopause and discusses what is known about the influence of menopause on epilepsy and seizures. Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone influence the brain at birth and help establish sexual differentiation between men and women. The low estrogen levels that are a part of menopause affect many different organ systems in the body. The chapter discusses some of the reported adverse effects of menopause: vascular autonomic changes, heart disease, bone disorders and osteoporosis, vaginal and urinary tract problems, sleep disturbances, and emotional problems. To assess the potential influences of menopause on women with epilepsy and seizures, one needs to consider several issues: the effect of menopause on the frequency and severity of seizures; the possibility that antiepileptic medications will complicate menopause; and whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during menopause is appropriate for women with epilepsy.

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