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Seizure disorders and trace metals

Manganese tissue levels in treated epileptics

Department of Neurology, Cornell University Medical Center (Drs. Papavasiliou and Kutt, Mr. Miller, and Ms. Rosal), and the Biostatistics Laboratory, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (Dr. Wang), New York, NY, and the Medical Research Center, Brookhaven National Laboratory (Dr. Aronson), Upton, NY.

We determined the concentrations of manganese in whole blood and hair in 52 epileptics, 6 blood relatives, and 24 normal controls. Blood, and possibly hair manganese content, was significantly lower in treated epileptics than in controls (p <0.002). Although not all patients showed reduced tissue manganese levels, most those with frequent seizures had manganese levels falling below the lowest control level, suggesting a relationship between manganese tissue levels and high seizure activity. These differences in manganese levels were not correlated with the type, dose, or plasma levels of anticonvulsant medication. Reduced manganese availability at the neuronal level, where Mn++stabilizes membrane excitability, may affect epileptogenic lesions to increase the likelihood of seizure activity.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Papavasiliou, Department of Neurology, Cornell University Medical Center, New York, NY 10021.

Suported by NIH Grant (Project No. NS11131-01) and in part by the U.S. Department ofEnergy under Contract EY-76-C-02-0016 with the Associated Universities Inc., Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Accepted for publication April 17, 1979.

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