Coexistence of epilepsy and Brugada syndrome in a family with SCN5A mutation

Summary Cardiac arrhythmias are associated with abnormal channel function due to mutations in ion channel genes. Epilepsy is a disorder of neuronal function also involving abnormal channel function. It is increasingly demonstrated that the etiologies of long QT syndromeand epilepsy may partly overlap. However, only a few genetic studies have addressed a possible link between cardiac and neural channelopathies. We describe a family showing the association between Brugada syndromeand epilepsy in which a known mutation in the SCN5A gene (p.W1095X, c.3284G>A) was identified. We suggest that this mutation can be responsible for cardiac and brain involvement, probably at different developmental agein the same individual. This observation confirms the possibility that SCN5A mutations may confer susceptibility for recurrent seizure activity, supporting the emerging concept of a genetically determinedcardiocerebral channelopathy.