Major patterns of human inheritance: relevance to the epilepsies.

An understanding of the basic principles of human inheritance patterns is necessary to appreciate the variety and complexity of genetic influences in the epilepsies. The various modes of human inheritance include single gene (mendelian), chromosomal, mitochondrial, and multifactorial/polygenic. Recent insights regarding imprinting, anticipation, and uniparental disomy have been made and have an impact on our understanding of human genetics. All of these phenomena are likely to be of importance in the epilepsies and form the basis for a more detailed analysis of the relevant molecular biology.