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5 - The genetics of epilepsy

from Part II - Epilepsy diagnosis and treatment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 November 2009

Melodie R. Winawer
Affiliation:
Columbia University, Sergievsky Center, 630 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
Ruth Ottman
Affiliation:
Columbia University, GH Sergievsky Center, 630 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
Martha J. Morrell
Affiliation:
Columbia University, New York
Kerry L. Flynn
Affiliation:
Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
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Summary

Medical research will soon identify the genetic causes of some epilepsies. As epilepsy genes are identified, therapies will be developed that directly target the specific cause of the epilepsy. Such treatments will provide better seizure control and even epilepsy cures. Tests will also be developed so that parents can be counseled regarding the risk of transmitting epilepsy to their offspring.

What we know so far indicates that many epilepsies are genetic and that there are many genes that can cause epilepsy. To find epilepsy genes, researchers must identify families with genetic epilepsies, and then perform a gene analysis in each individual in order to find the common epilepsy gene. This type of research depends on the generosity of individuals with epilepsy and their family members, who participate by allowing medical researchers to gather seizure information and to collect blood samples. In order to make it easier for people with epilepsy to participate in epilepsy gene research, while maintaining strict confidentiality of medical information, the Epilepsy Foundation has developed the Gene Discovery Project. This allows family trees (pedigrees) to be entered into an anonymous website. This information can then be made available to researchers in epilepsy. The Epilepsy Foundation contacts individuals whose family information is of interest to a particular researcher and provides details about how the investigator can be contacted. More information about the Gene Discovery Project is available on the Epilepsy Foundation website (www.epilepsyfoundation.org).

Dr Ottman is a Professor in the School of Public Health at Columbia University. She is an established medical scientist who has conducted research into the genetic basis of epilepsy.[…]

Type
Chapter
Information
Women with Epilepsy
A Handbook of Health and Treatment Issues
, pp. 47 - 56
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2003

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References

Anderson VE, Andermann E, Hauser WA. Genetic counseling. In Epilepsy: a Comprehensive Textbook, ed. J Engel Jr, TA Pedley. Lippincott-Raven Publishers, Philadelphia, 1997, 225–32
Anderson VE, Hauser WA, Rich SS. Genetic Heterogeneity in the Epilepsies. Advances in Neurology; Vol 44. Delgado-Escueta AV, Ward AA Jr., Woodbury DM, and Porter RJ, Eds. Raven Press, New York, 1986
Annegers, JF, Hauser, WA, Anderson, VE, Kurland, LT. The risks of seizure disorders among relatives of patients with childhood onset epilepsy. Neurology 1982; 32:174–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ottman, R. Genetic epidemiology of epilepsy. Epidemiol Rev 1997; 19:120–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thompson MW, McInnes RR, Willard HF. Thompson & Thompson: Genetics in Medicine, 5th edn. WB Saunders, Philadelphia, 1991

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  • The genetics of epilepsy
    • By Melodie R. Winawer, Columbia University, Sergievsky Center, 630 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA, Ruth Ottman, Columbia University, GH Sergievsky Center, 630 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
  • Edited by Martha J. Morrell, Columbia University, New York, Kerry L. Flynn, Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
  • Book: Women with Epilepsy
  • Online publication: 02 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545030.005
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  • The genetics of epilepsy
    • By Melodie R. Winawer, Columbia University, Sergievsky Center, 630 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA, Ruth Ottman, Columbia University, GH Sergievsky Center, 630 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
  • Edited by Martha J. Morrell, Columbia University, New York, Kerry L. Flynn, Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
  • Book: Women with Epilepsy
  • Online publication: 02 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545030.005
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • The genetics of epilepsy
    • By Melodie R. Winawer, Columbia University, Sergievsky Center, 630 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA, Ruth Ottman, Columbia University, GH Sergievsky Center, 630 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
  • Edited by Martha J. Morrell, Columbia University, New York, Kerry L. Flynn, Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
  • Book: Women with Epilepsy
  • Online publication: 02 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545030.005
Available formats
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