Molecular basis of inherited epilepsy

Epilepsy is a common, paroxysmal, and heterogeneous neurological disorder. Many factors, including complex genetic influences, contribute to the pathogenesis of epilepsy. However, several epilepsy syndromes are caused by mutations in single genes (Table). Most epilepsy-associated genes that have been identified within the past 5 years encode ion channels. This review illustrates the progress in defining the molecular basis of inherited epilepsies and highlights conditions caused by dysfunctional ion channels.