Search for Genes Influencing Childhood Absence Epilepsy (CAE) Study

Search for Genes Influencing Childhood Absence Epilepsy Study

The purpose of our study is to identify gene(s) involved in the cause of childhood absence epilepsy (CAE).

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

A high familial predisposition for epilepsy in patients with childhood absence epilepsy (CAE), also called petit mal epilepsy, suggests underlying genetic causes contributing to the disease. Several areas harboring potential absence epilepsy genes have been identified in the genome.

This study will further narrow down those areas and identify gene(s) involved in the cause of CAE by taking several approaches: 1. Comparing patients with CAE to healthy individuals without epilepsy and 2. Investigating whole families with many members affected with epilepsy).

Participation in this study requires an interview regarding medical and family history and saliva (spit) collection from all available family members of families with many epilepsy cases. For those families without a history of epilepsy, parents and children are asked to provide a small amount of saliva only. Healthy volunteers without epilepsy or a family history of seizures are asked to fill out an anonymous questionnaire and provide a small amount of saliva as well.

Although the study is based at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, all study materials can be sent to your home at no cost to participants or their insurance. For the collection of saliva, special containers are provided and they can be shipped back to Mount Sinai in the pre-paid envelope provided. Study materials can be completed at your convenience.

Results from this study may enable scientists to understand the cause of absence seizures and, perhaps, other types of seizures as well and with this laying the foundation for better diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy patients in the future.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

185

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10029
        • Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

3 years and older (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Whole families with many members affected with epilepsy or both parents and a child with CAE of families without other affected members (trios) and healthy individuals without epilepsy

Description

Patients and their families:

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Clinical diagnosis of classical (typical) Childhood Absence Epilepsy
  • Good seizure control
  • Must be able to give saliva sample

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of non-febrile seizures prior to the onset of typical absence seizures
  • other neuropsychiatric or developmental disorders.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
CAE participants
Both parents and a child with CAE of families without other affected members (trios) or whole families with many members affected with epilepsy.
Controls
Healthy individuals without epilepsy and no family history of epilepsy.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Saliva sample
Time Frame: at baseline
at baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Collaborators

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Martina Durner, M.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

December 1, 1998

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 1, 2014

Study Completion (Actual)

July 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 19, 2002

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 19, 2002

First Posted (Estimate)

July 22, 2002

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

June 1, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 31, 2016

Last Verified

May 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • GCO 07-1441
  • R01NS037466 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.