Blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples will be obtained form patients with epilepsy before and after seizure. The sample will be stored frozen in aliquots, and assayed for peptides by radioimmunoassay, for amino acids by fluorescence, and for catecholamines by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) linked to an electrochemical detector. These findings will be correlated to any electroencephalographic (EEG) or electrocardiographic (EKG) changes which occur during seizures in order that some insight int the sudden death syndrome in epilepsy might be obtained. The level of peptides somatosatin, neurotensin, substance P, Beta endrophin, enkephalin, bombesin, neuropeptide Y, prolactin, ACTH, corticotropin releasing factor, cholecystokinin (CCK) were studied and no significant differences were found. The level of 23 amino acids were also determine but no significant alterations were observed in pre- and postictal CSF. The presence of an ouabain like factor was detected in the CSF. This factor was elevated in the CSF postictally. Furthermore a band of protein of molecular weight of 100,000 was found to be phosphorylated in the early postictal phase and lose its phosphorylated state in the late postictal phase. Postictal levels of norepinephrine, homovanillic acid (HVA), 5- hydroxyindole acetic acid (5HIAA) were all elevated in the CSF.
