Symptoms of Genetic Diseases
A genetic disorder is any disorder or disease that is caused by an abnormality of genetic materials according to the Human Genome Project. Researchers do not yet know what causes the abnormalities of genes or how to prevent them. Some of the most common genetic diseases are Alzheimer's, autism, and bipolar disorder.
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Alzheimer's
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Alzheimer's is a disease that affects an estimated 5 million people, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The starting age for Alzheimer's is typically 60 with the risk rising with age. Researchers don't currently know exactly what causes Alzheimer's, but it is suspected to be related to aging and family history. Signs of Alzheimer's disease include losing judgment about spending habits, asking repetitive questions and showing resistance towards change. Difficulty making new memories and trouble finding the words are also possible symptoms of Alzheimer's.
Autism
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Scientists have identified that autism, which is a name for a group of developmental disorders, is caused by genetics and environmental factors. Some of the disorders included under the autism group are Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder. Autism causes impaired social skills, difficulty with verbal and nonverbal communication and severely reduced interest in activities. Children with autism may not recognize their own names and may participate in repetitive motions like twirling or rocking.
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Bipolar Disorder
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Extreme changes in energy, mood or functionality may be caused bipolar disorder, which is also known as manic depression. Bipolar is a life long condition that often runs in families and is believed to be caused by chemical imbalance in the brain. Bipolar disorder has two parts: mania and depression. Symptoms of mania are an elated or happy mood, risk taking, racing thoughts and increased rapid speech. Prolonged sadness, loss of energy, increased worrying and anxiety are symptoms that can accompany depression.
Cerebral Palsy
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Cerebral palsy is a name for a group of disorders that most commonly appears in the first years of a child's life. According to the Mayo Clinic, cerebral palsy occurs in ever 2 to 4 births for every thousand. Cerebral palsy is sometimes caused by infections like meningitis or mutations of the genes that regulate development of the brain. Signs of cerebral palsy are stiff movements, tremors, difficulty with precise movements and excessive drooling.
Prevention
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There is not yet a determined way to prevent genetic disease. They're caused by mutations and deformities in the DNA that cannot yet be prepared. Screening of a newborn using a few drops of blood can be used for testing to determine if a baby has any genetic diseases at birth.
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