Title: 6 Most Common Hereditary Diseases | Hereditary vs. Genetic Disorders
Headings: 6 Most Common Hereditary Diseases
6 Most Common Hereditary Diseases
About The Author
Susan Fishman

Content: 4
Hemophilia
Most common among males, hemophilia is characterized by a deficiency in blood clotting leading to abnormal bleeding. The hemophilia gene is located on the X chromosome that encodes gender. Since males have an X and a Y chromosome, they inherit only one copy of the X chromosome (from their mother). So, if their mother is a carrier of the mutated gene, they have a better chance of inheriting hemophilia. Females have two X chromosomes (one from their mother and one from their father), and one usually has a normal copy of the gene. This means most women with the gene mutation are carriers, but have no signs or symptoms of the disease. 5
Huntington’s Disease
Huntington's disease is an inherited condition that comes on in mid-life. It causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain, leading to a loss of brain and muscle function. Caused by an inherited defect in a single gene, the disease is an autosomal dominant disorder, which means that a person needs only one copy of the defective gene to develop the disorder. Each parent with a defective gene could pass along either a defective copy or a healthy copy, leaving a child with a 50% chance of inheriting the disease.