What is genetic prion disease? Prion diseases are a group of rare, degenerative neurological disorders caused by changes in proteins normally found in the brain, called prions. The exact role of prion protein is unknown, but it is believed to be important to the...
Individuals who have family members with certain medical conditions may benefit by seeing a genetic counselor to explore the risk to develop the condition themselves as well as pass it on to their children. One part of the consultation will usually be to record the...
You need a Social Security number to open a bank account or take out a mortgage. If this short string of personally identifying numbers were to fall in the wrong hands, the consequences could be devastating. A saliva sample provides DNA testing companies with...
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), one of the most common life-threatening hereditary diseases, is being diagnosed at an earlier age thanks to new technologies and an increased awareness of the disease among health care professionals. Thus,...
Decades ago, parents-to-be with a family history of genetic illness or hereditary cancer were often faced with the difficult decision of either never having children or potentially passing along the disease. Today, there are many types of genetic tests, including...
A person who has a disease-causing variant — also known as a mutation — in one of their two copies of a particular gene is known as a carrier. Carrier screening for specific genetic conditions is a routine part of prenatal care, but patients and providers are...
