Dec 30 2009
In our last post we highlighted a few of the coolest (in our opinion!) health-related developments of 2009. But human genetics isn’t all about disease. Here are a few more favorites:
The Romanovs
2009 saw the identification of the remains of the missing members of this Russian royal family, as well as identification of the mutation that [...]
Dec 28 2009
Today we’re going to look back at some of the health-related Spittoon highlights (a completely subjective list!) of 2009.
Hepatitis
Millions of people worldwide are chronically infected with some form of hepatitis virus, putting them at risk for cirrhosis and liver cancer. In 2009 several studies identified genetic factors that influence susceptibility to hepatitis and response [...]
Dec 21 2009
A new study has identified more common genetic variants associated with increased risk for cleft lip and palate. Combined with two previous studies (more here and here), there are now four variations that have been associated with this birth defect that affects about one out of every 700 children born.
Clefting results from improper fusing during [...]
Dec 18 2009
More than a million Americans have Parkinson’s disease, and another 50,000 are diagnosed each year. There is active research to try to understand this devastating condition, but scientists still don’t really know what causes it. There are no clear environmental triggers for the disease, and genetics doesn’t seem to play a large role either – [...]
Dec 17 2009
By now, you’re probably sick of hearing about the 2009 H1N1 flu, also known as the swine flu. But if you believe you’ve had it, and you’ve already recovered from your symptoms, please take a few minutes to complete our new survey.
There have been heard reports of people holding “swine flu parties” in hopes of [...]
Dec 16 2009
Leprosy is a chronic, disabling disease caused by a bacterium (Mycobacterium leprae) that infects only humans and armadillos. The disease affects the skin and peripheral nerves, leading to sores, numbness in the limbs, muscle weakness, and, in severe cases, disfiguring nodules on the skin. Known since biblical times, leprosy was highly stigmatized until the latter [...]
Dec 15 2009
Multiple sclerosis (MS) afflicts the central nervous system, causing unpredictable and varying symptoms that differ from person to person. About one in 700 people in the United States is affected by the disease. Although there is currently no cure for MS, there are treatments that can slow the progression of the disease and enhance the [...]
Dec 11 2009
Nobody likes that sick feeling you get in your stomach when you watch a young college athlete hit the ground in pain and you wonder if his or her career is over before it even started. And who can forget how Bo Jackson, Steve Young and Dikembe Mutombo, all superstar professionals, saw their illustrious careers [...]
Dec 10 2009
From alchemists and the Philosopher’s Stone to Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth, history is full of stories of people searching for a way to extend life indefinitely. In recent years, discoveries about the biology of aging have brought us closer to that dream than ever before. Now 23andMe is asking you, our [...]
Dec 09 2009
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a rare and deadly neurological disorder affecting voluntary muscle movement. It typically claims victims’ lives about three years after symptoms begin. In the United States, the condition is more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, after the Yankees slugger who died of ALS in 1941. About 20,000 people in the [...]
