It is now clear that our risk of developing almost any disease is influenced by the genes with which we are born. One of the most important dividends of the Human Genome Project will be a much greater understanding of the influence of genes on disease and disorders in children (from asthma to autism) and adults (including heart disease, virtually all cancers, and Alzheimer's disease). The nature of genetic risks in families is becoming clearer and this book is written to help people understand them. Philip Reilly, a physician-geneticist, who has given hundreds of lectures on this subject, takes a user-friendly approach. Drawing on the many questions he has been asked (for example, My sister has multiple sclerosis. Am I at an increased risk?”), Reilly discusses over 90 common conditions, diseases, and disorders, arranged from conception to old age. In frank, non-technical terms, he makes clear what is known and not known about the genetic factors and, if your risk is elevated, what you might be able to do about it. This book is a uniquely valuable resource for anyone seeking more information about a family's disease heritage.
This book could do a great deal to enhance genetic literacy. It deserves to be read widely by students of human genetics at all levels, by primary care providers and practitioners in all specialties, by genetic counselors, and by anyone who has wondered whether they or their children are at risk for a disease affecting a family member. Journal of Clinical Investigation For clinicians, the impact of genetics on clinical practice outside the specialist area of the rare single gene disorders (or the Mendelian subsets of some of the common ones) has so far been small, but this will soon start to change and they will have to master the complexities of genetic and environmental interactions. Whilst Reilly's book is no substitute for proper professional development programmes, its clarity and its easy and accessible style will help them meet this challenge and provide sensible advice. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine I very much enjoyed reading this book. It gives an up to date summary of the knowledge regarding genetic risk for common disease and disorders, is written very clearly and contains a large amount of information that is easy to find. To my knowledge, the information provided is factually correct and an excellent condensation of the primary literature (33 pages of primary literature and further information are provided at the back of the book). It tries to avoid jargon and by-and-large achieves this...In conclusion, this is a very readable book that I will recommend to friends and colleagues who are interested in the area of genetics, medicine and public health. Genetical Research
| Preface | p. xi |
| Acknowledgments | p. xiv |
| A Note about Technical Terminology | p. xv |
| Is It in Your Genes? Companion Web Site | p. xvi |
| Introduction: Genetic Medicine | p. 1 |
| Genes and Mutations | p. 7 |
| Pregnancy | |
| Infertility | p. 13 |
| Endometriosis | p. 16 |
| Uterine Fibroids | p. 18 |
| Consanguinity | p. 20 |
| Race and Ethnicity | p. 22 |
| Recurrent Pregnancy Loss | p. 24 |
| Preeclampsia | p. 27 |
| Twinning | p. 28 |
| Premature Births | p. 30 |
| Infancy | |
| Congenital Malformations (Birth Defects) | p. 33 |
| Down Syndrome | p. 34 |
| Spina Bifida | p. 35 |
| Congenital Heart Defects | p. 36 |
| Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate | p. 37 |
| Pyloric Stenosis | p. 38 |
| Clubfoot | p. 39 |
| Newborn Genetic Screening | p. 39 |
| Deafness | p. 42 |
| Sudden Infant Death Syndrome | p. 45 |
| Childhood | |
| Cerebral Palsy | p. 47 |
| Mental Retardation | p. 49 |
| Autism | p. 53 |
| Developmental Disabilities | p. 56 |
| Specific Reading Disability (Dyslexia) | p. 56 |
| Specific Language Impairment | p. 58 |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder | p. 60 |
| Stuttering | p. 62 |
| Epilepsy (Seizures) | p. 64 |
| Juvenile Diabetes | p. 68 |
| Asthma | p. 71 |
| Eczema | p. 73 |
| Scoliosis | p. 74 |
| Stature | p. 75 |
| Strabismus | p. 77 |
| Eye Color | p. 78 |
| Handedness | p. 79 |
| Adulthood | |
| Heart Diseases | p. 81 |
| Coronary Artery Disease (Atherosclerosis) | p. 81 |
| High Cholesterol | p. 86 |
| High Blood Pressure | p. 87 |
| Cardiomyopathy | p. 90 |
| Pulmonary Embolism | p. 93 |
| Sudden Death | p. 95 |
| Aortic Aneurysms | p. 97 |
| Atrial Fibrillation | p. 99 |
| Mitral Valve Prolapse | p. 101 |
| Longevity | p. 102 |
| Lung Diseases | p. 106 |
| Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD, Emphysema) | p. 106 |
| Sarcoidosis | p. 108 |
| Gastrointestinal Diseases | p. 110 |
| Inflammatory Bowel Disease | p. 110 |
| Peptic Ulcer Disease | p. 114 |
| Celiac Disease (Gluten-sensitive Enteropathy) | p. 116 |
| Pancreatitis | p. 118 |
| Lactose Intolerance (Lactase Deficiency) | p. 120 |
| Appendicitis | p. 121 |
| Gallstones (Cholecystitis, Gallbladder Disease) | p. 123 |
| Endocrine Disorders | p. 125 |
| Adult-onset Diabetes (NIDDM, Diabetes Type II) | p. 125 |
| Obesity | p. 128 |
| Osteoporosis | p. 133 |
| Thyroid Diseases | p. 137 |
| Infectious Diseases | p. 139 |
| Susceptibility to Infection | p. 139 |
| HIV/AIDS | p. 145 |
| Rheumatological Disorders | p. 146 |
| Rheumatoid Arthritis | p. 146 |
| Osteoarthritis | p. 149 |
| Gout | p. 151 |
| Lupus | p. 153 |
| Fibromyalgia Syndrome | p. 157 |
| Skin Disorders | p. 158 |
| Atopic Dermatitis | p. 158 |
| Psoriasis | p. 159 |
| Baldness | p. 160 |
| Cancer | p. 162 |
| Breast Cancer | p. 162 |
| Ovarian Cancer | p. 169 |
| Endometrial Cancer | p. 172 |
| Colon Cancer | p. 173 |
| Prostate Cancer | p. 177 |
| Kidney Cancer | p. 180 |
| Bladder Cancer | p. 181 |
| Stomach Cancer | p. 183 |
| Cancer of the Pancreas | p. 185 |
| Leukemia | p. 188 |
| Lymphoma | p. 190 |
| Hodgkin's Disease | p. 190 |
| Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma | p. 191 |
| Melanoma | p. 193 |
| Lung Cancer | p. 195 |
| Brain Disorders | p. 197 |
| Stroke | p. 197 |
| Alzheimer's Disease | p. 201 |
| Migraine Headaches | p. 204 |
| Multiple Sclerosis | p. 206 |
| Parkinson's Disease | p. 208 |
| Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease) | p. 212 |
| Eye Disorders | p. 214 |
| Glaucoma | p. 214 |
| Macular Degeneration | p. 217 |
| Mental Illness | p. 219 |
| Schizophrenia | p. 219 |
| Affective Disorder (Major Depression, Bipolar Illness) | p. 223 |
| Panic Disorder | p. 228 |
| Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | p. 230 |
| Anorexia Nervosa | p. 232 |
| Human Behavior | p. 233 |
| Alcoholism | p. 233 |
| Drug Addiction | p. 236 |
| Homosexuality | p. 238 |
| Conclusion | p. 241 |
| For Further Information | p. 245 |
| Index | p. 279 |
| Table of Contents provided by Rittenhouse. All Rights Reserved. |
ISBN: 9780879697211
ISBN-10: 0879697210
Series: Handbooks
Audience:
Tertiary; University or College
For Ages: 15+ years old
For Grades: 10+
Format:
Paperback
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 304
Published: 5th April 2004
Dimensions (cm): 22.8 x 15.0
x 2.2
Weight (kg): 0.503