Inheritance is complex/polygenic.
No pathogenic gene variants have been found. Some gene variants and recurrent microdeletions (such as 15q13.3, 15q11.2 and 16p13.11) have been found that are susceptibility alleles for juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, but not a monogenic cause.
A positive family history of epilepsy is occasionally present, typically of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy or other genetic generalized epilepsies.