Gene Variant Heightens Risk Of Severe Liver Disease In Cystic Fibrosis Sep 11, 2009
They found that more cystic fibrosis patients with liver disease had a particular version of the SERPINA1 gene -- called the Z allele than patients without liver disease, indicating that the gene variant plays a role in the development of this ailment. The researchers confirmed their results in a separate set of cystic fibrosis patients, 136 with liver disease and 1088 without. (Science Daily)
Sixty percent of adults can't drink milk Sep 2, 2009
But the computer model suggests that dairy farmers carrying this gene variant probably originated in central Europe and then spread more widely and rapidly than non-dairying groups. Author of University College London's dept of Genetics, Evolution and Environment says: "In Europe, a single genetic change...is strongly associated with lactase persistence and appears to have given people with it a big survival advantage.". (USA Today -- Tech)
Children With Autism Use Alternative Keyboard To Communicate With Their Families And Their World Sep 2, 2009
4, 2009) A specific gene variant that links increased genetic risk for autism with gastrointestinal conditions has been. (June 9, 2005) Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center study links regions of two chromosomes to susceptibility for a type of autism characterized by regression in. (Science Daily)
Milk Drinking Started Around 7,500 Years Ago In Central Europe Sep 2, 2009
1, 2009) The ability to digest the milk sugar lactose first evolved in dairy farming communities in central Europe, not in more northern groups as was previously thought, finds a new study led by UCL (University College London) scientists published in the journal PLoS Computational Biology. The genetic change that enabled early Europeans to drink milk without getting sick has been mapped to dairying farmers who lived around 7,500 years ago in a region between the central Balkans and central... (Science Daily)
Gene Variant Linked To Effectiveness Of Popular Anti-clotting Medication Plavix Aug 27, 2009
26, 2009) Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have identified a common gene variant carried by as many as a third of the general population that is believed to play a major role in determining why people do not respond to a popular anti-clotting medication, Plavix ... "We didn't detect any other common gene variants that appear to be as significant as CYP2C19, but our research suggests that people's response to clopidrogel is largely inherited and additional common and... (Science Daily)
Monkeys booze because of genes Aug 18, 2009
A study has shown that having a particular gene variant causes some macaque monkeys to drink more alcohol in experiments ... Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the scientists found that some monkeys with the gene variant drank more alcohol, possibly to relieve their anxiety. (BBC News -- Science)
Gene variant aids hepatitis C care Aug 17, 2009
People with a certain gene variant are far more likely to respond to treatment, and that variant is more common in people with European ancestry than African-Americans, researchers report ... Blacks who had the gene variant showed a better response rate than Whites who didn't have it, indicating that the gene is a better predictor than ethnicity, the researchers said. (AZCentral -- News)
Full Story » Aug 17, 2009
Gene variant predicts hepatitis treatment success - Yahoo ... Gene variant predicts hepatitis treatment success. (Yahoo News -- Technology)
Amazonian Tribe Sheds Light On Causes Of Heart Disease In Developed Countries Aug 12, 2009
16, 2009) New research looks at whether a gene variant may affect the link between migraine and stroke or heart attacks. The study involved 25,000 women who answered a questionnaire about their history of. (Science Daily)
Study: Redheads' extra pain may cause... Aug 3, 2009
Gene variant may play a role and influence pain sensitivity. By Madison Park CNN. (CNN -- Law)
Genetic marker linked to problem behaviors in adults with developmental disabilities Jul 22, 2009
Forty-three percent of those with developmental/intellectual disabilities and behavior problems had the gene variant, compared to 20 percent of the same group with no behavior issues and 20 percent of a typically developing control group. The same MAOA variation has also been linked to autism in children, autism severity and communication problems. (EurekAlert!)
Colorectal Cancer Risk Increased By Single-base Change In The Human Genome Jul 8, 2009
The high frequency of the gene variant makes it a very common cause of cancer at the population level. At the individual level, however, the variant does not cause significant disease predisposition because that can often be considerably reduced by lifestyle changes. (Science Daily)
DNA Variations Linked To Brain Tumors Jul 6, 2009
27, 2009) People with a particular gene variant may be more likely to develop brain tumors, and at an earlier age, than people without the gene, according to a new. (May 10, 2005) Researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center have found promising new molecular targets and treatment approaches for some of the most malignant brain. (Science Daily)
Life & Style Jul 5, 2009
You could be right, a gene variant associated with addiction has been found to increase the risk of obesity. --> Topics. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
Living Alone Increases Odds of Developing Dementia Jul 4, 2009
In addition to looking at the association between marital status and dementia, the researchers also examined the link between living alone and being a carrier of the apolipoprotein E e4 gene variant, a known risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The study found the highest risk of developing Alzheimer's disease among people with the gene variant who live alone after losing their partner. (MEDLINEplus)
Men's Supplements: Healthy or Harmful? Jul 2, 2009
Those claims came under fire from the watchdog group the after two studies on selenium came out in June in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, one of which showed selenium provided no benefit and one which showed that for men with a certain gene variant -- one found in three quarters of men -- selenium supplements made the prostate cancer worse. The authors of the second study, from the University of California, San Francisco, concluded that their findings "indicate caution against broad use of... (ABC News)
Risky Business: Stressed Men, But Not Stressed Women, More Likely To Gamble And Takes Risks Jul 2, 2009
But among men, the same gene variant appeared to be protective against depression. In fact. (Science Daily)
Discovery Points to Regulation of Calcium Metabolism Jul 1, 2009
MONDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- A gene variant that contributes to both kidney stones and osteoporosis has been identified by scientists who said the variant offers a promising target for new drugs to better regulate calcium metabolism. The single-letter variation (SNP) occurs in the gene encoding claudin 14 (CLDN14), a protein expressed in the kidney, according to a news release. (MEDLINEplus)
Boys May Feel a Genetic Pull Toward Gangs Jun 19, 2009
Though the study included both boys and girls, only boys with the MAOA gene variant showed an increased propensity for violence. The gene variant had little impact on the girls, possibly because the MAOA gene is located on the X-chromosome, the researchers said. (MEDLINEplus)
Schoolboy calls for MS campaign Jun 16, 2009
Medical experts have claimed a vitamin D deficiency, combined with a specific gene variant, may increase the risk of MS, which more than 10,000 people in Scotland have. A joint study carried out in February by Oxford University and Canadian experts suggested vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy and childhood may cut the risk of someone developing the disabling and painful neurological disease in later years. (BBC News -- UK)
Gene variant linked with autism, especially in boys May 21, 2009
Gene variant linked with autism, particularly in boys: study_English_Xinhua. Gene variant linked with autism, particularly in boys: study ... LOS ANGELES, May 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. researchers have identified a gene variant which might increase the risk of autism, particularly in boys. (Xinhuanet, China)
World's largest DNA scan for autism uncovers new gene variant for disorder Apr 29, 2009
UCLA scientists, in partnership with 30 research institutions across the country, have identified a new gene variant that is highly common in autistic children ... "While this gene variant is common in the general population, we discovered that it occurs about 20 percent more often in children with autism," said study author Dr. Daniel Geschwind, director of the UCLA Center for Autism Treatment and Research ... The scientists evaluated the relationship of more than half a million gene variants... (EurekAlert!)
New Risk Variant For Atopic Dermatitis Identified Apr 15, 2009
ck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch and Charit; University Medical School, Berlin, Germany, in collaboration with researchers from the Klinikum rechts der Isar of Technical University Munich and Christian Albrecht University, Kiel, have identified a gene variant on chromosome 11 that is associated with an increased risk of atopic dermatitis. See also. (Science Daily)
Gene Variant Tied to Schizophrenia Apr 14, 2009
FRIDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. researchers say they've spotted a gene variant that may raise the risk of schizophrenia in some people, a finding that may lead to new drug treatments ... More than 40 percent of people in the general population have the gene variant, but only 1 percent have schizophrenia, and not all of those with the illness have the altered gene, Brzustowicz noted ... For example, 55 percent of the schizophrenia patients in this study had the gene variant. (MEDLINEplus)
Study: Gene variant might lead to Schizophrenia Apr 14, 2009
LOS ANGELES, April 13 (Xinhua) -- A gene variant may be linked with schizophrenia in some people, a discovery that will advance search for better treatments, a new study showed. U.S. researchers spotted the gene variant while analyzing 24 Canadian families that had multiple members with schizophrenia, according to the study published in the April issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry ... More than 40 percent of people in the general population have the gene variant, but only 1 percent have... (Xinhuanet, China)
Obesity, FTO Gene Variant, and Energy Intake in Children Apr 9, 2009
11 issue)1 report that the A allele of the fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene variant rs9939609, which has been associated with obesity, is also associated with increased levels of physical activity in children. No differences in resting energy expenditure were observed. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Gene Variant Associated With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Identified Mar 30, 2009
29, 2009) Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have, for the first time, identified a gene variant on chromosome 4 that may be a potential risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ... (May 7, 2005) A common gene variant has been identified as the risk factor behind a number of common diseases by research scientists at Karolinska Institutet and the Centre for Molecular Medicine (CMM). (Science Daily)
South Asians With Diabetes More Likely To Lose Their Eyesight Earlier Than White Europeans Mar 27, 2009
29, 2005) A particular gene variant that could serve as a predictor for type 2 diabetes has been identified by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical. (May 15, 2001) In India, members of higher ranking castes are genetically more similar to Europeans, while lower castes are more similar to Asians, according to a study published in this month s issue of. (Science Daily)
Facial flushing drinkers at higher cancer risk Mar 25, 2009
People with two copies of this gene variant have such extreme symptoms that they avoid drinking alcohol. "The concern is for people who have one copy," said Philip Brooks of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, whose study appears in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine, "because they can tolerate drinking.". (Xinhuanet, China)
Biological Clue In Brain Tumor Development Mar 25, 2009
27, 2009) People with a particular gene variant may be more likely to develop brain tumors, and at an earlier age, than people without the gene, according to a new. (June 1, 2008) Investigators have shown that children under 3 years old who have a brain tumor called diffuse pontine glioma appear to have a better outcome than older children with the same. (Science Daily)
Is Alzheimer's Disease Actually a Form of Diabetes? Mar 17, 2009
PET scan of a brain with Alzheimer's diseaseWhen the brazen James Watson had his genome sequenced, he whether he carried a gene variant that would increase his risk for Alzheimer's disease. for Steven Pinker. (Slate)
Control your DNA destiny Mar 13, 2009
Scientists have pinpointed a gene variant linked to a 30 percent to 40 percent higher risk for heart disease in women under age 60, reports Science ... Sometime in the next decade, we hope to develop screening tests for this and other gene variants ... But even if you have the memory of an elephant, you may be carrying one or two copies of the apoE-e4 gene variant, which increases the risk of developing Alzheimers later in life. (MSNBC -- Health)
SARS spurs China to act on AIDS Mar 12, 2009
People with autism also run an unusually high risk of bowel disorders, and now a gene variant has been found that may contribute to both problems. 04:00 11 March 2009 1 comment. (Yahoo News -- SARS)
Gene Variant Tied to Cocaine-Induced Paranoia Mar 6, 2009
Finding may shed light on physiology of phobias in general, study suggests. Wednesday, March 4, 2009. (MEDLINEplus)
Gene Variant Associated With Both Autism And Gastrointestinal Dysfunction Mar 5, 2009
4, 2009) A study led by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) and Vanderbilt University have identified a specific gene variant that links increased genetic risk for autism with gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. See also. (Science Daily)
Gene Variant Allies Autism, Gastrointestinal Woes Mar 4, 2009
MONDAY, March 2 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have identified a gene variant that is associated with both autism and gastrointestinal problems in individuals with autism ... "We wondered if this MET gene variant that we'd identified two years ago might be involved specifically in a subset of these patients who have both autism and a GI problem.". (MEDLINEplus)
Gene Variant Associated With Cocaine Dependence, Cocaine-Induced Paranoia Mar 4, 2009
3, 2009) Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Yale University School of Medicine and the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, have discovered that variants in the -endomannosidase (MANEA) gene are associated with cocaine addiction and cocaine-induced paranoia in European American and African American populations. These findings appear in the March issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry. (Science Daily)
USC researchers identify gene variant associated with both autism and gastrointestinal dysfunction Mar 2, 2009
A study led by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) and Vanderbilt University have identified a specific gene variant that links increased genetic risk for autism with gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. The findings suggest that disrupted signaling of the MET gene may contribute to a syndrome that includes autism and co-occurring gastrointestinal dysfunction, says principal investigator Pat Levitt, Ph. (EurekAlert!)
Treating Drug-addicted Doctors Is Good Medicine Mar 2, 2009
(June 29, 1998) Some individuals carry a gene variant that may help protect them from becoming addicted to nicotine, according to a new study funded in part by the National Institute on Drug. (Aug. (Science Daily)
Smart switching could solve communication tangle Feb 27, 2009
Positive people may owe their optimism to a gene variant that helps them dwell on the good and ignore the bad. THIS WEEK: 10:53 25 February 2009 10 comments. (Yahoo News -- Instant Messaging)
Gene Variant Raises Risk of Uterine Fibroids Feb 26, 2009
Mutation discovered more common in white women, but different genes might raise risk in black women. Tuesday, February 24, 2009. (MEDLINEplus)
Exploring Genetic Link Between Migraines, Cardiovascular Trouble Feb 19, 2009
TUESDAY, Feb. 17 (HealthDay News) -- In a finding that speaks to the complicated connection between having migraines with aura and an increased risk of cardiovascular trouble, Harvard researchers report that a gene variant that was suspected to be a link between the conditions is not but that two genotypes could well be ... In the Harvard study, the investigators wanted to see if the ACE D/I gene variant somehow played a role in the heightened risk of stroke and heart attacks among women who... (MEDLINEplus)
Doctors: Stem Cell Transplant Wiped Out HIV in Patient Feb 15, 2009
An HIV patient with leukemia appears to have no detectable traces of HIV in his blood after getting a transplant of stem cells from a donor carrying a rare gene variant known to resist the disease, according to a report published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The 42-year-old American living in Germany received the transplant to treat his leukemia, not the HIV itself. (FOXNews)
Stem cells work magic on man with AIDS Feb 13, 2009
A German AIDS patient was able to stop taking medication he had been taking for 10 years after getting a transplant of stem cells from a donor with a rare gene variant known to resist the deadly disease. The transplant also cured his leukemia, researchers reported. (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
MS link to vitamin D deficiency hailed by politicians as giant ... Feb 7, 2009
Health food shops in Scotland reported increased sales of the so-called sunshine vitamin, which interacts with a particular gene variant found in some individuals and alters the risk of developing MS. ... " The public appeared to be making its own decision. An assistant in a Glasgow branch of Holland & Barrett, the health food chain, said: We have had a real rush on vitamin D. The scientific breakthrough comes after a groundswell of expert belief in the importance of vitamin D. Last November, at... (Times Online)
Gene Variant May Hike Women's Risk of Alzheimer's Feb 7, 2009
MONDAY, Jan. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists have discovered a gene variant on the X chromosome that appears to increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The risk was most pronounced in women with the variant on both X chromosomes, although both women and men with just one variant of the gene were also at greater risk. (MEDLINEplus)
Gene Variant Tied to Smokers' Risk of Lung Cancer Feb 7, 2009
MONDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- People may face an increased risk of lung cancer if they have a gene variant that metabolizes the most potent of cigarette smoke carcinogens, a new study says. The ABCB1 and ABCC1 genes normally help protect the lungs by removing inhaled toxins. (MEDLINEplus)
