Genetic Causes of Epilepsy
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Video Description:Understand the role of genetics (heredity) in epilepsy.
Transcript:Epilepsy can be caused by genetic factors or acquired, although in most cases it arises in part from both. In this video, we will look at the genetic causes of epilepsy. First, some basics. What is a gene? Our genes are the instruction set for building the human body. Our genes reside on chromosomes. Every person has 46 chromosomes, carrying a total of about 30,000 genes. We get half our chromosomes from our mother and half from our father. While genes determine the structure of our bodies, they also control the excitability of our brain cells. Defective genes can make hyper-excitable brain cells, which are prone to seizures. In recent years, several epilepsy conditions have been linked to mutations in genes. But the matter is complicated by the fact that different genes may be involved in different circumstances. In general, the most common epilepsy conditions, including partial seizures, seem to be more acquired than genetic. But even partial epilepsy has a genetic component. For example, if two people suffer a similar blow to the head, only one may develop epilepsy. This is because some people have genetically-determined risk factors for developing seizures after head trauma. Recently, doctors have discovered a technique called the gene chip, which can quickly screen thousands of genes in an individual. Each bright spot in the gene chip represents a strong presence of a particular gene in the person being tested. But how can knowledge of genes help us become more aware of epilepsy, and better able to treat it? For one thing, genetic testing can help us to diagnose certain epilepsy conditions. a. Gene testing will soon be able to identify predispositions to epilepsy, b. allowing doctors to help a patient get treatment c. and to assist with family counseling. One day, doctors may be able to simply swab a patient’s cheek, test his genes, and predict his response to various epilepsy medicines, eliminating much trial and error! Eventually, we may even be able to repair or replace defective genes predisposed to epilepsy, a process called gene therapy. Our growing understanding of genetics and its relationship with epilepsy even makes it possible, to some extent, to determine the likelihood of epilepsy being passed from parent to child. The general population has about a 1 percent risk of developing seizures. Meanwhile, children of mothers with epilepsy have a 3 to 9 percent risk, while children of fathers with epilepsy have a 1.5 to 3 percent risk. Still, the actual risk depends upon the specific type of epilepsy. For example, partial seizures are less likely to run in families than are generalized seizures. In any event, with the usual forms of epilepsy, even if a parent does have the condition, there is more than a 90 percent chance that their child will not. Clearly, genes determine a great deal of who we are, including our risk for epilepsy. But what happens to us in life and what we do is still the larger part of our risk for epilepsy. Talk to your medical team and genetic counselors for more information about genetic predisposition to epilepsy.
Category:Neurological Health/Epilepsy
Tags:genes genetic causes risks of seizures gene chip gene testing gene therapy genetic counseling health medicine athletics physical science advice community web series fitness home video blog guru
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