Ultra-rare genetic variants in familial epilepsies

The final frontier. The last five years have seen enormous progress in understanding the genetic basis of sporadic severe, treatment-resistant epilepsies due to de novo mutations. However, there has been much less progress in understanding the basis of familial epilepsy, which has historically been the major focus of epilepsy genetics. Particularly small families with mild epilepsies are challenging to solve, with the exception of rare families with pathogenic variants in known epilepsy genes. Exome-first approaches in familial epilepsy are particularly challenging given the sheer amount of variants segregating in small families by chance. In a recent publication by the Epi4K Consortium, a novel approach is presented to identify the genetic basis of familial epilepsies, overcoming the limited power of small families by analyzing rare variants in probands in a case/control study design. Here are some fascinating insights from this study. Continue reading

The Focal Epilepsy Conference 2017 – an invitation to the Faroe Islands

Retreat. Part of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Faroe Islands are an archipelago between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic halfway between Norway and Iceland. From May 24 to 26, 2017, the international epilepsy community will retreat to the Faroe Islands for a conference on the mechanisms of focal epilepsies. With this post, I am inviting clinicians and scientists who typically read our blog to this meeting. Take a quick glance at the program and you will understand why I think that this meeting is interesting. In 2017, a conference on the mechanisms of focal epilepsy has become a conference with a main focus on genetic mechanisms. Here is how our perception of the genetics of focal epilepsies changed over the last 18 years and why a trip to the middle of the North Atlantic may be worthwhile for you. Continue reading

Being informed about informed consent

Key components. There are many factors for patients to consider when deciding whether to undergo genetic testing for epilepsy. Perceptions regarding the benefits and drawbacks can vary from one patient to another, and only the patient can determine whether the benefits of testing outweigh the drawbacks in their specific situation. Testing that seems straightforward to a clinician may not be so for a patient. As such, the process of informed consent is crucial to avoid harm and disappointment. Continue reading

ARX – a 2017 Update

Aristaless. When you look at the genes for neurodevelopmental disorders identified in modern-day exome studies, one gene is notably absent: ARX. The X-chromosomal aristaless related homeobox gene was one of the first genes for epilepsies and brain malformations to be discovered. Pathogenic variants in ARX can be identified in male patients with a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders including idiopathic West Syndrome – accordingly, ARX is on the differential list for patients with intractable infantile spasms without a known cause. One of the reasons why we hear so little about ARX is the fact that this gene is poorly covered in exomes. Furthermore, one of the major disease-causing variants is a repeat expansion that cannot be assessed through exome studies at all. Here is a brief summary of what we know about ARX in 2017. Continue reading