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Dive into the research topics where Roberta Meo is active.

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Featured researches published by Roberta Meo.


Epilepsia | 1988

Reproductive endocrine disorders in women with primary generalized epilepsy.

Leonilda Bilo; Roberta Meo; Carmine Nappi; Lucio Annunziato; Salvatore Striano; A. Colao; Bartolomeo Merola; Giuseppe A. Buscaino

Summary: It is known that women suffering from temporal lobe epilepsy may frequently present reproductive endocrine disorders (REDs). We hypothesized that a high occurrence of REDs could be found also in primary generalized epilepsy (PGE), and therefore investigated the hormonal and ovarian echographic profiles in 20 PGE female patients of reproductive age. Fourteen reported normal menstrual cycles, while 6 complained of longstanding menstrual irregularities. All but three patients were receiving antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy. In all subjects, the basal levels of gonadotropins, prolactin, and gonadal steroids were assayed. The response of luteinizing hormone (LH) to gonadotropin‐releasing hormone was also investigated and ovarian ultrasonographic findings were evaluated. In five of six patients with menstrual problems (25% of the group), a well‐defined RED was diagnosed (polycystic ovarian disease in three cases and hypothalamic ovarian failure in two). The 14 patients with normal menstrual cycles showed an elevation of mean basal follicle‐stimulating hormone and prolactin, and a blunting of mean LH response. Our results suggest that a high occurrence of REDs may be found also in PGE. We hypothesize that a neurotransmitter dysfunction might be the common pathogenetic mechanism resulting in both REDs and PGE. The hormonal alterations observed in the patients with normal menstrual cycles seem to support our hypothesis. Previous data seem to rule out a possible AED effect accounting for the hormonal findings observed in our series. However, further studies are needed to confirm our preliminary results.


Epilepsia | 1999

Gelastic Epilepsy: Symptomatic and Cryptogenic Cases

Salvatore Striano; Roberta Meo; Leonilda Bilo; S. Cirillo; C. Nocerino; P. Ruosi; Pasquale Striano; Anna Estraneo

Summary: Purpose: To describe the etiology, characteristics, and clinical evolution of epilepsy in patients with gelastic seizures (GSs).


Seizure-european Journal of Epilepsy | 1993

Derangement of the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator in women with epilepsy

Roberta Meo; Leonilda Bilo; Carmine Nappi; A. P. Tommaselli; Rossella Valentino; C. Nocerino; Salvatore Striano; Giuseppe A. Buscaino

An increased frequency of reproductive endocrine diseases has been described in women with epilepsy and a subclinical reproductive dysfunction has been suggested in normally menstruating epileptic women. We assessed the reproductive endocrine function in 11 normally menstruating, drug-free epileptic women, evaluating the basal hormonal profile and LH pulsatile secretion during continuous EEG monitoring. A significant LH hyperpulsatility was observed in epileptic women compared with controls; moreover, a significant increase of gonadotropin basal secretions was observed when inter-ictal paroxysmal activity increased. The derangement of the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator may represent a subclinical condition associated with epilepsy, not necessarily affecting the regularity of menstrual function. However, it is possible that the alteration of LH pulsatile pattern might eventually cause reproductive endocrine diseases. Paroxysmal activity seems to be an important additional factor in the derangement of gonadotropin secretion.


Gynecological Endocrinology | 2008

Polycystic ovary syndrome in women using valproate: A review

Leonilda Bilo; Roberta Meo

Valproate (VPA) is a highly effective drug successfully employed in several neuropsychiatric diseases. In the last 15 years, an increased prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) associated with VPA use has been reported in both women with epilepsy and women with bipolar disorders. However, data on this subject are contrasting and it is possible that different factors might play a role in the development of PCOS in these patients. The risk of developing PCOS during VPA treatment seems to be higher in women with epilepsy than in women with bipolar disorders, and this might be due to an underlying neuroendocrine dysfunction related to the seizure disorder. Gynecologists must be aware of the possibility that PCOS in these populations of patients might be related to VPA use, and a careful multi-specialist approach is required for evaluating the risks and benefits of this treatment in the presence of features of PCOS.


Drugs | 2003

Polycystic ovary syndrome and epilepsy: a review of the evidence.

Roberta Meo; Leonilda Bilo

Overrepresentation of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women with epilepsy has been described since the early 1980s. While some authors attribute this association to an effect of the seizure disorder on the hypothalamic control of reproductive function, others have reported a relationship with the use of the antiepileptic drug valproic acid (VPA). In this article we review the literature on this complex issue, with a detailed analysis of the different reports which describe the reproductive endocrine assessment in women with epilepsy. In spite of the large number of patients assessed, a clear picture does not emerge, mostly because of the wide variability of methodology employed in the different study projects and of the small size of many patient samples especially when divided in subgroups. However, on the whole these studies suggest that women with epilepsy are at risk for developing reproductive endocrine disorders, even if there is not yet definite evidence that PCOS may be over-represented in these patients nor that VPA may be the cause of endocrine problems. It is likely that both the epileptic disorder and the antiepileptic treatment play different roles in the development of such disturbances. This hypothesis deserves further prospective study in large samples of patients; consistency in methodology, diagnostic criteria and presentation of results should always be encouraged in the researchers dealing with these projects. In the meantime, women with epilepsy should be carefully monitored with regard to menstrual function, bodyweight and hyperandrogenism, and evaluation of these parameters should become part of the routine evaluation in baseline and follow-up consultations.


Gynecological Endocrinology | 1994

Reduced fertility and neuroendocrine dysfunction in women with epilepsy.

C. Nappi; Roberta Meo; C. Di Carlo; Anna Estraneo; Leonilda Bilo

A reduction of fertility in women with epilepsy has been reported since 1950 and is confirmed in recent epidemiological studies. This phenomenon has usually been attributed to the increase of medical and socioeconomic problems in these patients or to hyposexuality, which has been consistently observed in epileptic subjects. Recently, a higher occurrence of reproductive endocrine diseases has been reported in epileptic women and proposed as an important cause of reduced fertility. In particular, polycystic ovary syndrome and hypothalamic ovarian failure have been reported in epileptic women with increased frequency compared to the general population. Moreover, an abnormal pattern of luteinizing hormone (LH) pulsatility has been observed in normally cycling, drug-free epileptic women. We suggest that epilepsy may interfere with the functional activity of the gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) pulse generator. It is possible that paroxysmal discharges spreading within the hypothalamus might affect the regularity of the GnRH pulse generator; alternatively, a neurotransmitter dysfunction might at the same time be responsible both for the lowering of the seizure threshold and for the dysfunction of GnRH secretion. The consequent alteration of LH pulsatility might in the long run, under the effect of additional factors, give rise to a clinical reproductive endocrine disorder.


Epilepsia | 2009

Transient epileptic amnesia: An emerging late‐onset epileptic syndrome

Leonilda Bilo; Roberta Meo; P. Ruosi; Maria Fulvia de Leva; Salvatore Striano

Transient epileptic amnesia (TEA) is a distinct neurologic condition occurring in late‐middle/old age and presenting with amnesic attacks of epileptic nature and interictal memory disturbances. For many years this condition has been associated with the nonepileptic condition of transient global amnesia (TGA) and still today is poorly recognized by clinicians. Despite the clinical and laboratory findings that distinguish TEA from TGA, differential diagnosis may be difficult in the individual patient. Every effort must be employed for an early diagnosis, since antiepileptic treatment may readily control both ictal episodes and memory disturbances.


Neurological Sciences | 2000

Venous angiomas and epilepsy.

Salvatore Striano; C. Nocerino; Pasquale Striano; Patrizia Boccella; Roberta Meo; Leonilda Bilo; S. Cirillo

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency and characteristics of epilepsy associated with cerebral venous angiomas (VA). We examined epileptic patients in which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed VA. The characteristics of epilepsy and its relationships to VA were studied. Out of 1020 epileptic patients submitted to MRI in a 10-year period, 4 presented with VA. All had partial seizures, most frequently complex partial, with secondary generalizations in 3. Drug resistance was observed in 2. One patient had a small area of cortical dysplasia near the VA; another had a cutaneous angioma. In 2 patients, there was no topographic concordance between the VA and the focus on electroencephalography. Our study reveals that VA are rarely found in epileptic patients, differently from other vascular malformations, in particular cavernomas. Topographic and/or etiological relationships between VA and epilepsy are still undefined.


Neurological Sciences | 2006

Epilepsy and polycystic ovary syndrome : where is the link?

Leonilda Bilo; Roberta Meo

Several reports in the literature describe an increased prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women with epilepsy. The possible pathogenesis of the association between epilepsy and PCOS is not clear yet, and different hypotheses have been proposed: while some authors suggest that epilepsy may affect the hypothalamic control of reproductive function, others propose a pathogenic role of the antiepileptic drug valproate. In this article we review the literature on the subject, and propose a pathogenic theory in which both epilepsy and valproate play different and significant roles in inducing reproductive endocrine disturbances in women with seizures.


Seizure-european Journal of Epilepsy | 1995

Transient global amnesia of epileptic origin accompanied by fever

Roberta Meo; Leonilda Bilo; Salvatore Striano; P. Ruosi; Anna Estraneo; C. Nocerino

The case of a previously healthy 69-year-old female patient is described who presented, in a period of 6 months, 3 long-lasting (from 2 hour- to 10 hour-duration) episodes of transient global amnesia accompanied by a temperature rise. During one of these episodes an EEG was obtained, showing a diffuse alteration, focal slowing, and bitemporal asynchronous paroxysmal activity giving rise to electrical ictal discharges. Interictal EEGs were normal. Cerebral computed tomography was normal. Carbamazepine was given with complete control of the attacks. These episodes may be interpreted as complex partial status with unusual semeiology.

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Leonilda Bilo

University of Naples Federico II

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Salvatore Striano

University of Naples Federico II

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P. Ruosi

University of Naples Federico II

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C. Nocerino

University of Naples Federico II

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S. Cirillo

Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli

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A. Caporella

University of Naples Federico II

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A. Mariniello

University of Naples Federico II

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Carmine Nappi

University of Naples Federico II

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Patrizia Boccella

University of Naples Federico II

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