Speaker: Ruth Ottman, PhD, Professor of Epidemiology (in Neurology and the Sergievsky Center)
Columbia University Medical Center
Genetic research on the epilepsies is advancing rapidly, leading to dramatic increases in the emphasis on genetic causes among clinicians and researchers, and use of clinical genetic testing in some forms of epilepsy. However, very little is known about the psychosocial impacts of this trend on people personally affected with epilepsy. This presentation will describe findings from research on these issues in an important group of stakeholders: members of families containing multiple individuals with epilepsy.
For further information or to convey suggestions about future speakers, contact Paul S. Appelbaum, MD, Director, Center for Research on Ethical/Legal/Social Implications of Psychiatric, Neurologic & Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, at 646-774-8630 or [email protected].
Dr. Ruth Ottman‘s primary area of expertise is genetic epidemiology. Her research addresses the role of inherited factors in susceptibility to neurologic disorders, focusing on epilepsy and other seizure disorders. She also concentrates on methodologic issues in genetic epidemiology, including research designs for evaluating gene-environment interaction, methods for collection of valid family history data, and approaches to assessing familial aggregation. Dr. Ottman’s research group was the first to recognize the familial epilepsy syndrome “autosomal dominant partial epilepsy with auditory features” and to identify LGI1 as a major susceptibility gene for the disorder.
This event is sponsored by the Center for Research on Ethical/Legal/Social Implications of Psychiatric, Neurologic & Behavioral Genetics, and the Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center. This seminar is part of the Seminar on Ethical, Legal and Social Implications of Genetics series.
