Our results are in accordance with those of Gotze et al. (6) and Horyd et al. (7), who also reported a reduction in epileptiform discharges in EEG of 30 and 43 adult patients, respectively, during exercise (deep knee bends and ergometer cycling) as compared with that during rest and hyperventilation. Ten of the 43 patients of Horyd et al. (7) exhibited an increase in epileptiform discharges immediately after the exercise, and a similar finding was reported both by Kuijer (8) and Bemey et al. (9). According to Kuijer (8) and Esquivel et al. (10) this postexercise increase in epileptiform discharges may be correlated to low blood pH values.
The mechanisms of interaction between physcial exercise and epilepsy are mostly unknown. Some physiological changes associated with exercise may inhibit seizures, e.g., general brain arousal (11), increase in cerebral B-endorphins (12,13), dehydration, and a slight metabolic acidosis (especially in anaerobic exercise) (6), and some may be seizure-inducing, e.g., hypoglycemia, hyperthermia, and stress, with ensuing release of catecholamines and, in some instances, hyperventilation
(14,15).