Summary:Purpose: Mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel subunit gene SCN1A have been associated with febrile seizures (FSs) in autosomal dominant generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS + ) families and severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy. The present study assessed the role of SCN1A in familial typical FSs.Methods: FS families were selected throughout a collaborative study of the Italian League Against Epilepsy. For each index case, the entire coding region of SCN1A was screened by denaturant high-performance liquid chromatography. DNA fragments showing variant chromatograms were subsequently sequenced.Results: Thirty-two FS families accounting for 91 affected individuals were ascertained. Mutational analysis detected a single coding variant (A3169G) on exon 16. The extended analysis of all family members and 78 normal controls demonstrated that A3169G did not contribute to the FS phenotype.Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that SCN1A is not frequently involved in common FSs and suggested the involvement of specific FS genes.

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A 7 year old girl suffering from myoclonic encephalopathy of infants (MEI) underwent acute treatment by slow intravenous L-5-hydroxytrypthophan (L-5-HTP). The authors found a clear clinical physiological improvement of myoclonic symptoms at rest and during action, but the opsoclonus remained unchanged. The authors suggest that, at least in this case of MEI, the myoclonus was serotonin responsive, as already reported in action or intention and stimulus sensitive myoclonus.

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