title: Genetic and developmental influences on susceptibility to epilepsy: evidence from twins.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ottman
mesh_terms: D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic