Genetic links to your health – Jan. 8 week
January 8, 2009 by Grace Ibay
Filed under Health
Welcome to the new year and the first edition of Genetics and Health for 2009. Let’s get down to business and talk shop.
The first genome wide association study of ADHD was published this week. Led by Stephen V. Faraone, the International ADHD Multicenter Genetics (IMAGE) project found one genetic marker (out of 600K) may be association with the ADHD symptoms. As usually is the case, there may other genes involved in ADHD but these have small effects that can not be seen with GWAS, the study suggests.
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“Researchers have identified nine genes that might make people more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.” In the study, genetic differences in about 500 people with Alzheimer’s were compared to 500 people without the disease. Lowered levels of Vitamin D were also found in people with dementias, including Alzheimer’s disease.
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Drug therapy used to suppress the immune system in cancer and arthritis was found to help a boy with Pompe disease, a rare and deadly genetic disorder that disables the heart and muscles.
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Doctors take to Daytona Speedway to raise funds for children with neurofibromatosis, a rare and genetic disease where nerve tissues grow tumors.
