Cohort study, 2025
Do women with epilepsy show different brain patterns during different phases of their menstrual cycle?
Yes. Women with epilepsy showed abnormal changes in brain activity during the perimenstrual phase compared to women without epilepsy, suggesting increased brain excitation during this time.
What they did
Cohort study comparing 25 women without epilepsy to 20 women with epilepsy. All participants completed a visual brain stimulation task with EEG recording during three menstrual cycle phases: mid-follicular, mid-luteal, and perimenstrual.
What they found
In healthy women, brain response to stimulation was strongest during the mid-follicular phase. In women with epilepsy, the brain showed strongest response during the perimenstrual phase. Only 3 of the 17 women with epilepsy showed the normal mid-follicular pattern. Computational modeling showed changes in brain circuit control during the perimenstrual phase in women with epilepsy.
What it means for you
Women with epilepsy experience abnormal changes in how their brain processes visual information during the perimenstrual phase, which may explain why seizures worsen around menstruation. The study was small and only measured one type of brain activity, so more research is needed to understand whether these findings relate to seizure timing.
25
women without epilepsy who completed study
17
women with epilepsy who completed study
3
women with epilepsy showing normal brain pattern
About the study
- Original title
- Females with epilepsy show abnormal changes to perimenstrual sensory induced long-term potentiation
- Authors
- Alshakhouri M, Sharpe C, Bergin P et al.
- Journal
- bioRxiv
- Year
- 2025
- Study design
- Cohort study
- Participants
- 25
- What was tested
- Visual event-related potential task with EEG recording at three menstrual cycle phases
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1101/2025.08.10.669555
Topics
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