Genetic Effects on Environmental Vulnerability to Disease
| Series: | |
| Publisher: | Wiley |
| Subject: | Genetic engineering--Environmental aspects |
| Authors: | Sir Michael J. Rutter |
| Pages: | 232 pages |
| Binding: | Hardcover |
| ISBN: | 9780470777800 |
| Call No: | TP 248.6 G326 2008 |
Much research has attempted to show direct linear relations between genes and disorder. However, scientists have been discouraged by inconsistent findings based on this simple gene-phenotype approach. The alternative approach is to incorporate information about the environment. A gene-environment interaction approach assumes that environmental pathogens cause disorder, whereas genes influence susceptibility to environmental pathogens.
This book brings together contributions from experts from multiple disciplines who discuss:
- How epidemiological cohort studies can better integrate physiological (mechanistic) measures;
- How best to characterise subjects’ vulnerability versus resilience by moving beyond single genetic polymorphisms;
- How gene hunters can benefit from recruiting samples selected for known exposures;
- How environmental pathogens can be used as tools for gene hunting;
- How to deal with potential spurious (statistical) interactions, and
- How genes can help explain fundamental demographic properties of disorders (e.g. sex distribution, age effects).