A team of geneticists at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland have published a list what have been termed ‘Goldilocks’ genes in the body that are responsible for a wide range of diseases.
The genes, which cause a number of conditions, such as schizophrenia and autism, could be the key to providing better treatment for these diseases in future.
The team looked at how genes evolve in our bodies over time and found that, over their lifetime, some don’t replicate in a way that most genes typically would. Tracing the evolution of these genes led the researchers to discover that they have a role in a variety of conditions, such as autism, schizophrenia, epilepsy, cancer, and heart disease.
Some of the genes are central to human development and could help play a role in diagnostics and the development of new treatments in future, said a spokesperson for the researchers.
‘If you can know what gene caused this person to get a disease, you could be able to prescribe a drug which will work better.’
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