SCN2A Pathogenic Variants and Epilepsy: Heterogeneous Clinical, Genetic and Diagnostic Features

Pathogenic variants of the <i>SCN2A</i> gene (MIM 182390) are associated with several epileptic syndromes ranging from benign familial neonatal-infantile seizures (BFNIS) to early infantile epileptic encephalopathy. The aim of this work was to describe clinical features among five patien...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Roberta Epifanio, Roberto Giorda, Maria Carolina Merlano, Nicoletta Zanotta, Romina Romaniello, Susan Marelli, Silvia Russo, Francesca Cogliati, Maria Teresa Bassi, Claudio Zucca
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-12-01
Series:Brain Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/1/18
Description
Summary:Pathogenic variants of the <i>SCN2A</i> gene (MIM 182390) are associated with several epileptic syndromes ranging from benign familial neonatal-infantile seizures (BFNIS) to early infantile epileptic encephalopathy. The aim of this work was to describe clinical features among five patients with concomitant <i>SCN2A</i> gene variants and cryptogenic epileptic syndromes, thus expanding the <i>SCN2A</i> spectrum of phenotypic heterogeneity. <i>De novo</i> variants were identified in four patients, while one inherited variant was identified in a patient with an unaffected carrier biological father with somatic mosaicism. Two of five patients were diagnosed with a neonatal epileptic encephalopathy. The remaining three patients manifested a focal epileptic syndrome associated with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) or with a variable degree of intellectual disability (ID), one of them displaying a hitherto unreported atypical late onset epilepsy. Overall, the pattern of clinical manifestations among these patients suggest that any observed neurological impairment may not be directly related to the severity of the electroclinical pattern, but instead likely associated with the mutation itself. Moreover, our results highlight the importance of <i>SCN2A</i> mutational screening in cases of ID/ASD with or without epilepsy.
ISSN:2076-3425