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. Investigating whole families with many members affected with epilepsy or both parents and a child with CAE of families without other affected members (trios) and 2.

comparing patients with CAE to healthy individuals without epilepsy.

Participation in this study requires an interview regarding medical and family history and blood drawing or saliva collection from all available family members of families with many epilepsy cases. Parents and children with absence from families without a family history of seizures are asked to provide a small amount of saliva (spit) only. Healthy volunteers without epilepsy or a family history of seizures are asked 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, blood tests can be arranged at locations elsewhere at no cost to participants or their insurance. Researchers will also travel to subject's home. For the collection of saliva, special containers are provided and can be shipped by mail.

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.