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Genetic and developmental influences on susceptibility to epilepsy: evidence from twins
Author(s) -
Ottman Ruth
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
paediatric and perinatal epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.667
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3016
pISSN - 0269-5022
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3016.1992.tb00766.x
Subject(s) - medicine , epilepsy , twin study , genetics , developmental psychology , psychiatry , heritability , biology , psychology
Summary. This study evaluated genetic and developmental contributions to epilepsy, using data on epilepsy and multiple births in the sibships of 1981 probands with epilepsy. Prevalence of a history of epilepsy was much higher in monozygotic (MZ) than in dizygotic (DZ) co‐twins of probands (35.0% vs. 3.7%), but prevalence was not significantly higher in DZ co‐twins than in singleton siblings. The proportion of individuals who were MZ twins was higher among probands with epilepsy than among their non‐co‐twin siblings without epilepsy (odds ratio 2.5, 95% CI 1.31–4.85). However, the proportion who were DZ twins was similar among probands and unaffected siblings (odds ratio 1.0, 95% CI 0.67–1.60). These findings suggest that the increased prevalence of epilepsy in MZ co‐twins of probands may be partly explained by developmental factors related to MZ twinning, rather than by their genetic identity with the probands.