Diseases
running in families may not be due to genes but surroundings
You may have often heard of some
disease - like high BP or heart problems - running in the family. It is usually
assumed that hereditary factors are responsible. Meaning diseasegenes are passed on
from one generation to another. But a massive new study of over 500,000
people and their families in United Kingdom has come up with a startling
answer. Family history of disease may be as much the result of shared lifestyle
and surroundings as
inherited genes.
Factors that are common to the family
environment - such as shared living space and common eating habits - can make a
major contribution to a person's risk of disease, the study found.
Researchers led by the University of Edinburgh's Roslin Institute and MRC Human Genetics Unit examined the medical histories of more than 500,000 people and their families - including both blood and adoptive relatives. "The huge UK Biobank study allowed us to obtain very precise estimates of the role of genetics in these important diseases. It also identified those diseases where the shared family environment is important, such as heart disease, hypertension and depression, and also equally interestingly those where family environment is of limited or no apparent importance, such as dementia, stroke and Parkinson's disease," said Chris Haley, professor at the University's MRC Human Genetics Unit.
Researchers led by the University of Edinburgh's Roslin Institute and MRC Human Genetics Unit examined the medical histories of more than 500,000 people and their families - including both blood and adoptive relatives. "The huge UK Biobank study allowed us to obtain very precise estimates of the role of genetics in these important diseases. It also identified those diseases where the shared family environment is important, such as heart disease, hypertension and depression, and also equally interestingly those where family environment is of limited or no apparent importance, such as dementia, stroke and Parkinson's disease," said Chris Haley, professor at the University's MRC Human Genetics Unit.
They looked at incidences of 12 common diseases including high blood pressure, heart disease, and several cancers and neurological diseases. By not accounting for shared environmental factors, scientists may overestimate the importance of genetic variation by an average of 47 per cent, the study found.
Experts say their findings will help to
provide realistic expectations of the value of genetic testing for identifying
people at risk of disease. The research also underlines the need to identify
environmental factors that contribute to diseases and how to modify them to
reduce disease risk. The study published in Nature Genetics, used data from the
UK Biobank, a UK database of volunteers' health.
Source: www.timesofindia.com
27.07.2016
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