Huntington's Disease: Risk of Inheritance in Early 20s

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In summary, a man in his early twenties has learned that his father, who is heterozygous for Huntington's Disease, has developed the disease. This rare, fatal disease is caused by a dominant allele and usually manifests in middle age. The man's mother does not carry the dominant allele. The probability of the younger man developing symptoms later in life is 50%, as he has a 50% chance of inheriting the Hh genotype from his father and a 50% chance of inheriting the hh genotype from his mother. This can be determined using a punnett square.
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glxvr6turbo
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A man in his early twenties who is normal learns that his father has developed Huntington's Disease, a rare, fatal disease caused by a dominant allele, which usually manifests itself in middle age (since the disease is rare, it is safe to assume that he is heterozygous). What is the probability that the younger man wil also develop the symptons later in life? (His mother does not carry a dominant allele.)
 
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To get you started: what do you think the genotypes are of the young man's father and mother with respect to the gene discussed?
 
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It is a literal 50% chance of developing the disease. Let's say H represents the allele for Huntington's.. and h represents normal. Then the father would be Hh, and the mother would be hh. Then in having a child, there is a 50% chance of the child being Hh, 50% chance of the child being hh. (we can determine this probability using a punnett square)
 

What is Huntington's Disease?

Huntington's Disease (HD) is a progressive neurological disorder that affects the brain and causes uncontrolled movements, emotional and cognitive problems, and difficulty with physical coordination.

What causes Huntington's Disease?

HD is caused by a genetic mutation in the huntingtin gene, which leads to the production of abnormal proteins that damage neurons in the brain.

What is the risk of inheriting Huntington's Disease?

If one parent has HD, each child has a 50% chance of inheriting the gene mutation and developing the disease. If neither parent has HD, the risk of inheriting the gene mutation is very low.

At what age does Huntington's Disease typically appear?

Symptoms of HD usually appear in a person's 30s or 40s, but it can develop earlier in life (known as early-onset HD) if the gene mutation is inherited from the father. The risk of inheriting early-onset HD is much lower than for late-onset HD.

Is there a cure for Huntington's Disease?

Currently, there is no cure for HD. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms and improving quality of life. However, ongoing research is being conducted to find potential treatments and a cure for this disease.

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