title: Association of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and elongator protein complex 4 (ELP4) polymorphisms with benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes in a Greek population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) is considered to be the most common childhood epileptic syndrome. Different mutations in genes that control the excitability of neurons have been described. Recent reports on the involvement of the BDNF and ELP4 genes in cell motility, migration, and adhesion raise the possibility that these genes are involved in pathogenesis of BECTS.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a case-control association study on 60 patients with BECTS and 60 control participants to assess the influence of the BDNF and ELP4 polymorphisms on BECTS. The polymorphisms were detected with a PCR-RFLP method. Moreover, we explored the possible association of these polymorphisms with clinical and electroencephalographic parameters of patients with BECTS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results show no difference in BDNF and ELP4 genotype frequencies between patients and controls. Haplotype analysis also revealed no statistical difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The role of BDNF and ELP4 polymorphisms remains controversial.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 'AHEPA' General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: anastagab@yahoo.gr.
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gkampeta
authors.affiliation: Department of General Biology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Liana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fidani
authors.affiliation: Memory Unit, Alzheimer's Laboratory, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBERNED), Neurology Department, Sant Pau Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clarimón
authors.affiliation: Department of General Biology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Kallirhoe
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kalinderi
authors.affiliation: Department of General Biology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Teodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katopodi
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Pediatrics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zafeiriou
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 'AHEPA' General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pavlou
mesh_terms: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D019305:Epilepsy, Rolandic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006115:Greece; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C456976:ELP4 protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C579455:BDNF protein, human
keywords: BDNF gene; BECTS; ELP4 gene; Val66Met polymorphism; rs11031434 polymorphism; rs964112 polymorphism