Is It in Your Genes? How Genes Influence Common Disorders

It is now clear that our risk of developing almost any disease is influenced by the genes with which we are born. One of the most important dividends of the Human Genome Project will be a much greater understanding of the influence of genes on disease and disorders in children (from asthma to autism) and adults (including heart disease, virtually all cancers, and Alzheimer's disease). The nature of genetic risks in families is becoming clearer and this book is written to help people understand them. Philip Reilly, a physician-geneticist, who has given hundreds of lectures on this subject, takes a user-friendly approach. Drawing on the many questions he has been asked (for example, My sister has multiple sclerosis. Am I at an increased risk??), Reilly discusses over 90 common conditions, diseases, and disorders, arranged from conception to old age. In frank, non-technical terms, he makes clear what is known and not known about the genetic factors and, if your risk is elevated, what you might be able to do about it. This book is a uniquely valuable resource for anyone seeking more information about a family's disease heritage. This book could do a great deal to enhance genetic literacy. It deserves to be read widely by students of human genetics at all levels, by primary care providers and practitioners in all specialties, by genetic counselors, and by anyone who has wondered whether they or their children are at risk for a disease affecting a family member. Journal of Clinical Investigation For clinicians, the impact of genetics on clinical practice outside the specialist area of the rare single gene disorders (or the Mendelian subsets of some of the common ones) has so far been small, but this will soon start to change and they will have to master the complexities of genetic and environmental interactions. Whilst Reilly's book is no substitute for proper professional development programmes, its clarity and its easy and accessible style will help them meet this challenge and provide sensible advice. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine I very much enjoyed reading this book. It gives an up to date summary of the knowledge regarding genetic risk for common disease and disorders, is written very clearly and contains a large amount of information that is easy to find. To my knowledge, the information provided is factually correct and an excellent condensation of the primary literature (33 pages of primary literature and further information are provided at the back of the book). It tries to avoid jargon and by-and-large achieves this...In conclusion, this is a very readable book that I will recommend to friends and colleagues who are interested in the area of genetics, medicine and public health. Genetical Research