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Causes Due to the extreme rarity of progeria and the little research done on it, an exact cause for progeria is unknown, but many scientists believe it due to a single mutant gene rather than environmental. As the gene is the fundamental unit of hereditary and the human species has approximately 80,000 genes with two copies, one from each parent, for each. It is thought that as a result of a dominant mutation because the gene in question has one normal copy and one mutant copy , rather that two mutant copies. Since neither parent carries or expresses the mutation, each individual case is believed to be a new mutation which occurs at conception. This belief of a dominant mutation can be supported in the following: 1) brothers, sisters and non-identical twins are almost never affected in the same family, 2) the parents are seldom related such as first cousins 3) the average difference in ages between father and mother is about six years as compared with the national average of about two years. Scientific research has also shown that the chemical hyaluronic acid is found in elevated levels in the urine of both Hutchinson-Gilford and Werner patients. Another theory suggests that it is caused by a genetic defect in the repair of DNA, which with a single change to only one copy of a gene could be the cause. With the knowledge that there is no known cause, comes the sad news that there is no known way of prevention, but for some of the problems caused by this disease the normal, as if the person was in the appropriate age category to be affected with it, precautions can be taken. |
