FOXJ3 gene identified as the critical link between abnormal brain development and epilepsy

Sanatate

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University Mar 9 2026 Researchers have discovered that mutations in the FOXJ3 gene act as a "master switch" failure, disrupting how the brain builds its layers and leading to FCD, a primary cause of drug-resistant epilepsy. The study reveals how FOXJ3 controls the formation of brain cortical layers during brain development by regulating the PTEN–mTOR signaling pathway. The PTEN-mTOR signaling pathway acts as a critical control system for cell growth, proliferation,