Although epilepsy is a relatively common condition, affecting approximately 1% of individuals worldwide, it is often difficult to diagnose in clinical practice, and it is estimated that up to a quarter of all cases may be misdiagnosed initially. Epilepsy is often inherited, and recent research has shown that sufferers have elevated polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for the condition. Now, investigators from Finland have proposed that PRSs could be used as a tool to help diagnose epilepsy in those individuals who have had a single seizure and distinguish them from those where the seizure has another cause. The results will be presented at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today.