RE: DSM-EH1

["Linnea Skoglund" <skoglund@lamar.colostate.edu>]

Michelle,

>None of the kids show any sign of it, though. So apparently it ISN'T 
>genetic.

Not necessarily.  Both you and your husband could be heterozygous for 
the trait (presuming it is a dominant trait).  However it is strange 
that all off-spring inherited the recessive gene from each of you.  
Perhaps this is one of those far more complicated inherited traits.  
Promoters or other factors may be involved.  Early exposure may also 
be necessary.   We would need to know more about your children.  How 
many, what genders, what ages?  We would also need to know more about 
the pedigrees of you and your husband.  With some research $$, we 
might be able to identify the gene(s) involved. Then a simple test 
could be used to identify carriers or to look for the trait in babies 
or unborn children.  From there, we can move to gene therapy to make 
sure our children DO have the gene(s).  It may even be possible to 
give gene therapy to a spouse, etc, who is lacking this trait.


Linnea  - backyard geneticist


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