About half of the time, the cause of epilepsy is unable to be identified. When a cause can’t be found, it is called cryptogenic epilepsy. For the other half of epilepsy cases, the causes may be more easily identifiable, such as head trauma or a known genetic syndrome. Read on to learn more about how genetics can […]
The risk of autistic disorders in children is increased more than two and a half times when Topiramate is consumed during pregnancy. This drug, used to treat epilepsy, also more than triples the risk of intellectual disability, a study has found. Topiramate, used to treat epilepsy or migraine, causes neurodevelopmental disorders in children exposed to […]
As science and medicine continue to advance, so does the knowledge for the role genetics may play in epilepsy. While many people with epilepsy often worry if they will pass their epilepsy to future generations, they should be reassured that this risk is typically quite low. Inherited vs. Mutations It is important to distinguish that […]
Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered functional links between dozens of potassium channel gene variants and neonatal epilepsy, according to a study published in JCI Insight. The findings represent a significant advancement in the understanding of the gene KCNQ2, according to Alfred George, Jr., MD, chair and Alfred Newton Richards Professor of Pharmacology and lead author of the study. KCNQ2 was among the first genes […]
Large-scale MRI and genetic datasets are helping us understand the common variants of the genes that help build the human cerebral cortex To map regions of the brain to specific genes, researchers at the University of California – San Diego did genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of the regional cortical surface area and thickness of 39,898 adults and […]
Genetics of Epilepsy As science and medicine continue to advance, so does the knowledge for the role genetics may play in epilepsy. While many people with epilepsy often worry if they will pass their epilepsy to future generations, they should be reassured that this risk is typically quite low. Inherited vs. Mutations It is important […]
