Observations on the Antagonistic Effects of Posterior Pituitary and Cortico-Adrenal Hormones in, the Epileptic Subject1

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Abstract
In respect to their effects on the water and electrolyte exchanges of the body, the post. pituitary hormone (pitressin) and the adrenal cortical hormone, desoxycorticosterone, are physiological antagonists. Since typical grand mal seizures are readily induced in the epileptic patient by sustained pituitary antidiuresis when the NaCl intake is very low, the primary purpose of the present clinical study was to determine the effect of desoxycorticosterone acetate on this response. In the 2 exptl. subjects tested, the latter hormone greatly increased the time required for induction of a seizure by the pitressin test. This was interpreted as being due to forced retention of Na+ and Cl-. This presumably diminished the degree of dilution of the extracellular body fluids, a factor previously shown to be involved in the mechanism of seizures induced by pitressin. Spontaneously occurring seizures could be prevented over a long period of time by adm. of desoxycorticosterone acetate.