Kb. Hodges et al., CHROMOSOME FRAGILE SITES IN MENTALLY RETARTED MALES - INCREASED INCIDENCE WITH SEIZURES AND DIPHENYLHYDANTOIN THERAPY, Annals of clinical and laboratory science, 28(5), 1998, pp. 293-299
Chromosome fragile site or lesion data were examined in 154 institutio
nalized mentally retarded males with or without seizures or treated wi
th anti-seizure medication. Blood lymphocytes were cultured using thre
e different cell culture conditions and the incidence of specific chro
mosome fragile sites (10q25, 16q22, and 12q23) or lesions determined.
Increased fragile sites were seen in mentally retarded males with seiz
ures compared to those without seizures in cells grown in folate-deple
te Medium 199. Those with seizures and treated with diphenylhydantoin
had a higher incidence of induced fragile sites (p < 0.001) relative t
o similar patients treated with antiseizure medication other than diph
enylhydantoin. These results suggest that a cohort of patients with me
ntal retardation and seizures are more likely to have induced cytogene
tic changes when treated with diphenylhydantoin than mentally retarded
individuals without seizures.