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Andrew G. Herzog, MD; Machelle M. Seibel, MD; Donald L. Schomer, MD; Judith L. Vaitukaitis, MD; Norman Geschwind, MD

Arch Neurol. 1986;43(4):347-350.

Abstract
• Twenty consecutive men with partial seizures of temporal lobe origin were evaluated for sexual or reproductive dysfunction. Eleven (55%) had diminished sexual interest or reduced potency. Nine of them had reproductive endocrine disorders, with features of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in five, hyperprolactinemia in two, and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism in two. Among these nine were cases in which the reproductive endocrine abnormalities could not readily be attributed to antiseizure medication use. Other possible interpretations are as follows: (1) epileptic discharges in medial temporal lobe structures may disrupt hypothalamic regulation of pituitary secretion, (2) hypogonadism may promote the development of epileptic discharges, and (3) temporal lobe epilepsy and associated reproductive endocrine disorders may represent the parallel effects of prenatal factors common to the development of both the brain and the reproductive system.

Author Affiliations
From the Neuroendocrine Section, Department of Neurology (Drs Herzog, Schomer, and Geschwind), and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Dr Seibel), Charles A. Dana Research Institute, Beth Israel Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston; Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Thorndike Memorial Laboratory, Boston City Hospital (Dr Vaitukaitis); and Department of Medicine and Physiology, Boston University School of Medicine (Dr Vaitukaitis).

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Sept 8, 1985.

Deceased.

Reprint requests to Neurological Unit, Beth Israel Hospital, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215 (Dr Herzog).

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