13 - Menopause and epilepsy

Summary

A woman today is likely to spend half her life after menopause. Because many types of epilepsy are life-long, this means that many women with epilepsy can expect their epilepsy treatment to continue through the menopausal years. It is surprising, therefore, that there is so little information about how menopause affects seizure control. Of particular concern is whether hormone replacement therapy might affect seizures.

Fortunately, all this is about to change. A small group of dedicated physicians is conducting research into epilepsy after menopause. One group of these researchers has provided this chapter. Dr Krumholz is Professor of Neurology at the University of Maryland and Director of the Epilepsy Center there. He is very involved in the Epilepsy Foundation, both as a former member of the National Board of Directors and on the board of his local Epilepsy Foundation affiliate. Dr Abbasi is also an epilepsy specialist trained at the University of Maryland and is now working at the Neurological Center in Gastonia, North Carolina. Although we cannot provide all the answers to questions about epilepsy after menopause, at least we are finally asking the questions.

MJM

Introduction

Menopause (the phase of a woman's life when the ovaries cease to function and menstruation stops) marks the end of a woman's natural ability to bear children. Generally occurring between the ages of 48 and 55 years, menopause is recognized as an increasingly vital and critical part of a modern woman's life.