What Are the Causes of Tubular Sclerosis?

Tubular sclerosis, also called tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), is a disease that affects one out of every 6,000 people. It causes benign tumors to grow on different organs, including the brain and kidneys.

Cause

TSC is caused by a mutation in the TSC1 or TSC2 gene. These genes control the rate that cells grow. A mutation in either of these genes means cells may divide too rapidly.

Inherited or New

The mutation can be inherited from a parent who has the disease or it can be a new mutation of the TSC1 or TSC2 gene.

Statistics

Two thirds of people with TSC develop it as a new mutation in the gene while only one third inherit the disease, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Probability

A parent who has TSC has a fifty percent chance of passing on the mutated gene. The severity of the disease in the child does not depend on the severity of the disease in the parent.

Consideration

TSC can develop through a process called gonadal mosaicism in which a mutation occurs because either the sperm or the egg carries the mutated gene even though the parent doesn't have TSC, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

References

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Tuberous Sclerosis
• Mayo Clinic: Tuberous Sclerosis Risk Factors