What is psoriasis and how do you get it?
Psoriasis is a skin condition characterized by itchy scales, inflammation, and redness. It usually occurs on the scalp, knees, elbows, hands, and feet.
According to one study, about 7.4 million people in the United States were living with psoriasis in 2013.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease. Immune cells in your blood mistakenly recognize newly produced skin cells as foreign invaders and attack them. This can cause the overproduction of new skin cells beneath the surface of your skin.
These new cells migrate to the surface and force out existing skin cells. That causes the scales, itching, and inflammation of psoriasis.
Genetics almost certainly plays a role. Read on to learn more about the role of genetics in the development of psoriasis.
Psoriasis usually appears between the ages of 15 and 35, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF). However, it may occur at any age. For example, about 20,000 children under the age of 10 are diagnosed with psoriasis every year.
Psoriasis can occur in people with no family history of the disease. Having a family member with the disease increases your risk.
Scientists working on the genetic causes of psoriasis start by assuming that the condition results from a problem with the immune system. Research on psoriatic skin shows that it contains large numbers of immune cells that produce inflammatory molecules known as cytokines.
Psoriatic skin also contains gene mutations known as alleles.
Early research in the 1980s led to the belief that one specific allele might be responsible for passing on the disease through families.
Researchers later discovered that the presence of this allele, HLA-Cw6, wasnt sufficient to cause a person to develop the disease. More recent studies show that more research is still needed to better understand the relationship between HLA-Cw6 and psoriasis.
Use of more advanced techniques has led to the identification of about 25 different regions in human genetic material (the genome) that may be associated with psoriasis.
As a result, genetic studies can now give us an indication of a persons risk of developing psoriasis. The link between the genes that are associated with psoriasis and the condition itself isnt yet fully understood.
Psoriasis involves an interaction between your immune system and your skin. That means its hard to know whats the cause and whats the effect.
The new findings in genetic research have provided important insights, but we still dont clearly understand what causes a psoriasis outbreak. The precise method by which psoriasis is passed from parent to child is also not fully understood.
Most people with psoriasis have periodic outbreaks or flare-ups followed by periods of remission. About 30 percent of people with psoriasis also experience inflammation of the joints that resembles arthritis. This is called psoriatic arthritis.
Environmental factors that may trigger a psoriasis onset or flare-up include:
Injury or trauma to a portion of your skin may sometimes become the site of a psoriasis flare-up. Infection may also be a trigger. The NPF notes that infection, especially strep throat in young people, is reported as a trigger for psoriasis onset.
Some diseases are more likely in people with psoriasis than in the general population. In one study of women with psoriasis, about 10 percent of the participants had also developed an inflammatory bowel disease like Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis.
People with psoriasis have an increased incidence of:
Gene therapy isnt currently available as a treatment, but theres an expansion of research into the genetic causes of psoriasis. In one of the many promising discoveries, researchers found a rare gene mutation thats linked to psoriasis.
The gene mutation is known as CARD14. When exposed to an environmental trigger, such as an infection, this mutation produces plaque psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of the disease. This discovery helped establish the connection of the CARD14 mutation to psoriasis.
These same researchers also found the CARD14 mutation present in two large families that had many family members with plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
This is one of a number of recent discoveries that hold promise that some form of gene therapy may one day be able to help people living with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis.
For mild to moderate cases, dermatologists usually recommend topical treatments such as creams or ointments. These can include:
If you have a more severe case of psoriasis, your doctor may prescribe phototherapy and more advanced systemic or biologic medications, taken orally or by injection.
Researchers have established a link between psoriasis and genetics. Having a family history of the condition also increases your risk. More research is needed to fully understand the inheritance of psoriasis.
Read this article in Spanish.
See original here:
Psoriasis: Whats the Genetic Link? - Healthline
- Could Genetics Influence Cancer Risk From Red and Processed Meats? - Technology Networks - March 19th, 2024
- Genetics of environmental sensitivity and its association with variations in emotional problems, autistic traits, and ... - Nature.com - March 19th, 2024
- The Global Parkinson's Genetics Program and Psomagen Inc. Make Agreement with Goal to Transform Parkinson's ... - PR Newswire - March 19th, 2024
- SOPHiA GENETICS and The French Kidney Cancer Research Network (UroCCR) Publish Results from Multiyear ... - Yahoo Finance - March 19th, 2024
- Mindfulness in your DNA? Capacity to be present is partly a function of genetics, study finds - PsyPost - March 19th, 2024
- Are your cattle genetics protected from the lab-grown meat industry? - Agweek - January 23rd, 2024
- AI Harnesses Tumor Genetics to Predict Treatment Response - University of California San Diego - January 23rd, 2024
- The Role of Genetics in Cancer Care Continues to Expand - OncLive - January 23rd, 2024
- Jeremy Allen White's Plush Pout Is Thanks to Genetics and This $20 Lip Salve - InStyle - January 23rd, 2024
- Seed Experimentation and Genetics Videos Mother Earth News - Mother Earth News - January 23rd, 2024
- Kansas professor highlights role of genetics in the sustainable cow herd - Canadian Cattlemen - January 23rd, 2024
- Raha Kapoor's blue eyes remind fans of her great-grandfather, Raj Kapoor; here's what genetics says - IndiaTimes - December 29th, 2023
- Cell perturbation and lasers illuminate the genetics of latent blood cell traits - Nature.com - December 29th, 2023
- BASIC GENETICS INFORMATION - Understanding Genetics - NCBI Bookshelf - December 20th, 2023
- What is Genetics? | AMNH - American Museum of Natural History - December 20th, 2023
- Genetics of host plants determine what microorganisms they attract, finds study - Phys.org - December 20th, 2023
- Perception of genomic newborn screening among peripartum mothers | European Journal of Human Genetics - Nature.com - December 20th, 2023
- Growing Cotton in Space: How breakthroughs in plant genetics could lead to more resilient crops on Earth - RFD-TV - December 20th, 2023
- Study sheds light on the ancestry and genetics of Coast Salish woolly dogs | News | Vancouver Island University ... - Vancouver Island University News - December 20th, 2023
- Early bird, night owl behavior influenced by genetics, lead to varying levels of productivity - The Campanile - December 20th, 2023
- Healthline: Medical information and health advice you can trust. - December 27th, 2022
- Deep Dive Ties Together Dog Genetics, Brain Physiology and Behavior to Explain Why Collies Are Different from Terriers - Scientific American - December 10th, 2022
- Genetics - breast cancer - October 29th, 2022
- JK Agri Genetics reports standalone net loss of Rs 15.77 crore in the September 2022 quarter - Business Standard - October 21st, 2022
- Age Vs. Genetics: Which Is More Important For How You Age? - Patch - October 13th, 2022
- Global Animal Genetics Market is estimated to garner a revenue of ~USD 10067 Million by the end of 2033; Growing Prevalence of Animal Infectious... - October 13th, 2022
- Influence of the microbiome, diet and genetics on inter-individual variation in the human plasma metabolome - Nature.com - October 13th, 2022
- ASHG 2022 in Los Angeles brings together researchers from around the world to advance discoveries in genetics, genomics research - EurekAlert - October 13th, 2022
- Those who invested in Fulgent Genetics (NASDAQ:FLGT) five years ago are up 833% - Yahoo Finance - October 13th, 2022
- Global Biobank Meta-analysis Initiative making genome-wide association studies more diverse and representative - EurekAlert - October 13th, 2022
- Optimal for His Genetics Legendary Bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman Once Got His Genes Tested and Received Interesting Results - EssentiallySports - October 13th, 2022
- Breast Cancer Awareness | Surgeons see increase of genetic instances of disease - Meadville Tribune - October 13th, 2022
- About Bad Chest Genetics, and Whether You Can Fix Them - Healthline - October 4th, 2022
- Tissue-specific impacts of aging and genetics on gene expression patterns in humans - Nature.com - October 4th, 2022
- Genetics of human evolution wins 2022 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine - Science News Magazine - October 4th, 2022
- Stroke genetics informs drug discovery and risk prediction across ancestries - Nature.com - October 4th, 2022
- Illumina aims to push genetics beyond the lab with $200 genome - The Spokesman Review - October 4th, 2022
- $2.6M DOE Grant Supports UMD-led Study on Genetics of Plant Growth - Maryland Today - October 4th, 2022
- Are Kinks Hereditary? What Science Says About the Genetics of Desire - Glamour - October 4th, 2022
- Study on rare genetic diseases among diverse demographics in India - The Hindu - October 4th, 2022
- Howard University's Office of Research Awarded $11.5 Million From Chan Zuckerberg Initiative To Advance Genomics And Genetics Research - The Dig - October 4th, 2022
- CENTOGENE Reaches 12,500 Patient Milestone in Worlds Largest Observational Study on Parkinsons Disease Genetics - Yahoo Finance - October 4th, 2022
- The real power ofimproved genetics - Farming Life - October 4th, 2022
- CIA Just Invested In Woolly Mammoth Resurrection Tech - The Intercept - October 4th, 2022
- Fighting the Monkeypox Virus: Genetics as a Predictor of Vaccinia Vaccine Effectiveness - Medical News Bulletin - October 4th, 2022
- Improved pea reference genome and pan-genome highlight genomic features and evolutionary characteristics - Nature.com - September 25th, 2022
- SOPHiA GENETICS Unveils Strategy to Drive Health Care Innovations at Inaugural Investor Day Event - GlobeNewswire - September 25th, 2022
- TU Researchers connect genetic ancestry with prostate tumors - Tuskegee University - September 25th, 2022
- Large-scale and small-scale population genetic structure of the medically important gastropod species Bulinus truncatus (Gastropoda, Heterobranchia) -... - September 25th, 2022
- Purrsonalised health: The startups and VCs betting on pet genetics - Sifted - September 16th, 2022
- Uncovering the genetic basis of mental illness requires data and tools that aren't just based on white people - Down To Earth Magazine - September 16th, 2022
- Solving medical mysteries with genetics: The Penn Neurogenetics Therapy Center | Penn Today - Penn Today - September 16th, 2022
- CHOPs new bird-proofed skyscraper will focus on vaccine and genetics research - The Philadelphia Inquirer - September 16th, 2022
- Leading Clinical Experts Across the U.S. Unite to Support Universal Genetic Testing for all Patients with Cancer - PR Newswire - September 16th, 2022
- Preimplantation Genetic Testing Market: Growing Demand for Genetically Testing and Rising Knowledge of Genetics to Drive the Market - BioSpace - September 16th, 2022
- People with ME invited to take part in major genetic study - The Independent - September 16th, 2022
- Can genetics breathe new life into giant river prawn production? - The Fish Site - September 16th, 2022
- Hybrid genetics is the future of UK beef, legendary US rancher says - FarmingUK - September 16th, 2022
- How geneticists can gain greater buy-in from the autistic community - Spectrum - September 16th, 2022
- Ancient Viking poop helped scientists map the genetics of a 5000-year-old parasite - Interesting Engineering - September 8th, 2022
- Project Uses OpenCDS, Chatbots to Broaden Genetic Testing's Reach - Healthcare Innovation - September 8th, 2022
- The power of genetics to unleash the potential of indoor farming - Vertical Farm Daily - September 8th, 2022
- Social Determinants and Genetics Work in Tandem to Drive Disparities in Breast Cancer Care - OncLive - September 8th, 2022
- Ticking away in the back of my mind: what does it mean to know the risk embedded in your DNA? - The Guardian - September 8th, 2022
- How are genetic technologies being applied to combat infectious diseases in aquaculture? - The Fish Site - September 8th, 2022
- CCMB zeroes in on major genetic causes of male infertility - The Hans India - September 8th, 2022
- In Brief This Week: Illumina, Interpace, Genetic Signatures, Guardant Health, More - GenomeWeb - September 8th, 2022
- Atossa Genetics (ATOS) Atossa Therapeutics, Inc. to Attend the 24th Annual H.C. Wainwright Global Inves - Benzinga - September 8th, 2022
- Genetics - National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) - August 30th, 2022
- The genetics behind why some people get sicker with COVID-19 than others - ABC News - August 30th, 2022
- Ambry Genetics Publishes 43,000 Patient Study Showing Combined RNA and DNA Analysis Identifies Patients Who Are High-Risk for Cancer but Would Have... - August 30th, 2022
- Is COVID-19 Loss of Smell Genetic? What Research Shows - Healthline - August 30th, 2022
- Principal Component Analyses (PCA)-based findings in population genetic studies are highly biased and must be reevaluated | Scientific Reports -... - August 30th, 2022
- You're in control: Exercise outweighs genetics when it comes to longer life - Study Finds - August 30th, 2022
- An international team sets out to cure genetic heart diseases with one shot - Freethink - August 30th, 2022
- Olufunmilayo I. Olopade, MD: Cutting Into Breast Cancer Disparities With Genetic Testing - Everyday Health - August 30th, 2022
- Yale Study Suggests That Evolution Can Be Predicted - SciTechDaily - August 30th, 2022
- Could Genetics Be the Key to Never Getting the Coronavirus? - The Atlantic - July 27th, 2022
- Noonan appointed Kent Professor of Genetics and Professor of Neuroscience - Yale News - July 27th, 2022
- Happy 200th birthday, Gregor Mendel: 5 ways the father of modern genetics impacted your life today - Clemson News - July 27th, 2022