Genetic Diseases Flashcards
what is the most common chromosomal abnormality in live births
Down syndrome
95% caused by Trisomy 21, 4% caused by Robertsonian translocation
What is Trisomy 21 linked to
advancing maternal age
Age 35= 1:400
Age 45= 1:35
How can you test for Trisomy 21
Quad screen (maternal serum AFP, estriol, hCG, and inhibit-alpha)- levels can be too low or too high Nuchal translucency- added to results of quad screen for accuracy
What is nuchal translucency
an ultrasound done on baby in mom’s tummy checking thickness of neck. the thicker the neck, the more likely the baby is of having trisomy 21
How does Trisomy 21 develop
a gamete has two copies of chromosome 21, leading to a trisomy when fertilized
When are parental chromosome studies indicated
when the trisomy was due to an unbalanced translocation
What is the prevalence of Trisomy 21
1:500 pregnancies
What are possible effects of Down Syndrome
intellectual disability, characteristic facial appearance, 40% have cardiac defects, 75% have hearing loss, 50% have visual problems, 7% have GI defects, increased social skills in childhood
What do half of adults with Down Syndrome develop
Alzheimer disease
What is the second most common form of autosomal trisomy that goes full term
Trisomy 18- Edwards syndrome
85% lost between 10 weeks gestation and term, 50% die in first week of life, 2% survive to 1 year
What are characteristics of Edwards Syndrome
Rocker bottom feet
Kidney/Heart defects, developmental delay, club foot, low set ears/small jaw
What is the incidence of Trisomy 18
1:5000 live born infants
Increased risk with maternal age
What is Trisomy 13
Palau syndrome
What is the incidence of Patau syndrome
1:16000 live births
seen with advancing maternal age
What are effects of Trisomy 13
severe intellectual disability, cleft lip/palate, seizures, small jaw, polydactyly, heart defects, brain/spinal cord abnormalities
What is the etiology of Patau syndrome
most cases due to true trisomy on chromosome 13.
Some caused by Robertsonian translocation involving chromosomes 13 and 14- part of 13 gets attached to 14, leading to 2 normal copies of 13 plus extra copy attached to another chromosome
What is Cri-du-chat
a chromosomal abnormality that occurs due to deletion of short arm of chromosome 5 (partial monosomy) affecting 1:50,000 births
How does Cri-du-chat occur
usually due to spontaneous mutation
What are characteristics of cri-du-chat
cat like cry due to abnormal larynx development, intellectual disability, wide set eyes, low ears
How can you test for cri-du-chat
in utero with CVS
What is Klinefelter’s syndrome
when there is an extra X chromosome (47XXY) due to genetic mutation in gametogenesis. Many are lost during first trimester
What are characteristics of Klinefelter’s syndrome
affects male physical and cognitive development.
physical traits apparent after puberty; hypogonadism, infertility, gynecomastia, reduced hair
What is Turner syndrome
Genetic mutation leading to monosomy of x chromosome (45X) affecting development in females. Not commonly discovered until menstruation doesn’t occur
What are characteristics of Turner syndrome
Gonadal dysgenesis, short stature, broad chest, webbed new, amenorrhea, infertility, cardiovascular abnormalities
What is Huntington’s disease
An autosomal dominant, neurodegenerative disease/progressive brain disorder due to HD gene on chromosome 4 that codes for protein Huntingtin. It is the only human disorder for complete dominance
What are early signs of Huntington’s disease
depression, irritability, poor coordination, trouble learning
At what age is Huntington’s onset
usually adult onset, it is latent for 3-5 decades before manifesting as progressive neuronal dysfunction. However, if passed from previous generation, onset is likely to occur sooner
What are fun blown Huntington’s characteristics
uncontrolled movements (chorea), emotional problems, loss of thinking ability, changes in personality
What is Huntingtin
a CAG nucleotide repeat 36-120 repeats (diseased state) that causes microscopic deposits of protein in neurons
What is the likelihood of survival in Huntington’s
After symptoms present, usually 15 years. There is no treatment
How is Huntington’s disease transferred
Most cases inherited, some can be spontaneous. If one parent has the disorder, each kid has 50% chance of manifesting. heterozygotes are just as affected as homozygotes (HH, Hh)
What is Alzheimer’s
neurodegenerative disease causing the most common form of dementia in older individuals.
Early onset AD (familial) is more rare and late onset AD (sporadic) is more common
What population is at risk for Alzheimer’s
usually above age 60. risk increases with age. People with parent, sibling, or child with AD are at increased risk
What is the survival rate of individuals with Alzheimer’s
death within 10 years
What is the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s
loss of cholinergic neurons in brain (loss of acetylcholine), PLAQUE and TANGLE formation, brain atrophy, resulting in blocked communication
How is Alzheimer’s transferred
several gene mutations can cause a predisposition to AD