Researchers Find Two New Genetic Mutations Connected to Epilepsy

Had never before been linked to the disease

Using new genetic technology, scientists have made a breakthrough discovery in the field of childhood epilepsy research – identifying two new genes linked to severe forms of the seizure-causing condition, Medical News Today reported.

In a study published in the journal Nature, researchers from Duke University Medical Center used exome sequencing to detect mutations in the DNA sequences of 264 children with two forms of childhood epilepsy – infantile spasms and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome.  Exome sequencing is a form of genome sequencing that allows researchers to selectively sequence important sections of the genome, rather than analyze a person's entire genetic makeup.

The children's exome sequences were compared to those of their parents – none of whom suffered from the same neurological condition as their children.