Introduction The effect of various steroid hormones upon the electrical activity of the mammalian brain has been the subject of many investigations in the past. Cortisone and corticotropin (adrenocorticotrophic hormone) have been reported to exert convulsive effect in animals1and humans,2,3although these steroids have recently been used with some success in the treatment of patients with hypsarhythmia.4,5Desoxycorticosterone has also been found to exert electrical and clinical anticonvulsant effect in humans6and to increase the seizure threshold in animals.1,7Other steroids with anticonvulsant properties in animals are progesterone and certain androgenic hormones.1,7 We have been unable to find previous reports dealing with the direct effect of estrogens on cerebral electrical activity, although several studies indirectly suggest that ovarian hormones augment convulsive discharge in man and animals. For example, ovariectomy has been reported to give relief of seizures in humans8-10and to prevent
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Logothetis et al. (1960) studied this question.