Emerging genetic influences in benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes - BECTS

BECTS is considered to be the most common childhood epileptic syndrome. Multifactorial inheritance is the most important model accounting for the genetic behavior of the common epilepsies. In recent years, different mutations in genes that control the excitability of neurons have been described. Recent reports on the involvement of the BDNF and ELP4 genes with possible roles in cell motility, migration, and adhesion have provided first insights into the complex molecular bases of childhood focal epilepsies. However, in the most common idiopathic benign childhood epilepsies (BECTS and occipital epilepsies), major breakthroughs are still awaited. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.