Mysteries of the cytoskeleton – SPTAN1 in epileptic encephalopathies

Neuronal spectrinopathies. Spectrins are a major component of the neuronal cytoskeleton, the scaffold underneath the cell membrane that gives cells their characteristic shape and anchors transmembrane proteins such as voltage-gated ion channels. SPTAN1, the gene coding for the non-erythrocyte alpha-II spectrin, has been known as a rare cause of early-onset epileptic encephalopathies with hypomyelination and atrophy. However, the full phenotypic spectrum and the range of pathogenic variants was unknown. In a recent publication in Brain, 20 patients with pathogenic variants in SPTAN1 are reported, expanding the known range of phenotypes and suggesting a very unusual disease mechanism through in-frame deletions or duplications. Here is what links the neuronal cytoskeleton to epileptic encephalopathies. Continue reading

KCNB1 encephalopathy – widening the phenotypic spectrum

KCNB1 encephalopathy. Pathogenic variants in KCNB1 were first reported three years ago in three unrelated patients with an early-onset epileptic encephalopathy. Since the initial report, individual patients have been reported with de novo KCNB1 variants, but a comprehensive overview of the KCNB1 encephalopathy clinical picture has been lacking. A recent publication by de Kovel and colleagues provides a comprehensive overview of the clinical features and genetic variants in 26 individuals with KCNB1 encephalopathy, including 16 previously unreported patients, providing novel insights into the phenotype. In this post we will unpack this publication, including what new information about KCNB1 it tells us. Continue reading

Navigating choppy waters: psychosocial implications of uncertainty

Psychosocial implications of uncertainty. As navigators of genetic testing, genetic counselors have seen it all – smooth seas, choppy waters and even the rare tsunami. Genetic testing sounds, well, so promising. Huge gene panels for epilepsy, whole exome sequencing – guaranteed to find an answer, right? Wrong. And let’s not even talk about secondary (incidental) findings, variants of uncertain significance and (gulp) non-paternity. While our technology has changed, navigating the choppy waters of psychosocial issues in genetic testing has not. Previous EpiGC posts to this blog have highlighted the challenges inherent to interpreting variants of uncertain significance. Now let’s talk about the psychosocial implications of dealing with uncertainty.

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