Genetic variation is really important for understanding how humans stay healthy and what makes us sick. It means that different people have different DNA sequences. These differences can affect things like how our bodies work, how likely we are to get certain diseases, and how well certain medicines work for us. There are three main ways that genetic variation happens:
Mutations: These are changes in our DNA that can cause health differences. About 1 in every 1,000 DNA pieces (called nucleotides) has a mutation. Some mutations don't cause any problems, but others can lead to serious health issues.
Polymorphisms: When a variation is found in more than 1% of people, it's called a polymorphism. The most common type is called Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), and we have around 10 million of them in our DNA. Some of these SNPs can raise the chance of getting diseases like Type 2 diabetes and heart problems.
Gene Copy Number Variations (CNVs): These are larger pieces of DNA that can be copied or removed. CNVs make up about 10% of the differences in human DNA. They are connected to various diseases, including some cancers and developmental issues.
Impact on Health: Genetic variation helps us understand inherited diseases. For example, about 25% of people have mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. These mutations greatly raise the risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
Pharmacogenomics is the study of how genetic variation affects how our bodies handle drugs. Around 30% of patients have side effects from medications because their genetic differences change how the drugs work in their bodies.
In short, genetic variation is very important in health. It helps us see why some people get sick and why some treatments work for different people. Learning more about these variations helps us make medicine more personal, giving better health care based on each person's unique DNA.
Genetic variation is really important for understanding how humans stay healthy and what makes us sick. It means that different people have different DNA sequences. These differences can affect things like how our bodies work, how likely we are to get certain diseases, and how well certain medicines work for us. There are three main ways that genetic variation happens:
Mutations: These are changes in our DNA that can cause health differences. About 1 in every 1,000 DNA pieces (called nucleotides) has a mutation. Some mutations don't cause any problems, but others can lead to serious health issues.
Polymorphisms: When a variation is found in more than 1% of people, it's called a polymorphism. The most common type is called Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), and we have around 10 million of them in our DNA. Some of these SNPs can raise the chance of getting diseases like Type 2 diabetes and heart problems.
Gene Copy Number Variations (CNVs): These are larger pieces of DNA that can be copied or removed. CNVs make up about 10% of the differences in human DNA. They are connected to various diseases, including some cancers and developmental issues.
Impact on Health: Genetic variation helps us understand inherited diseases. For example, about 25% of people have mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. These mutations greatly raise the risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
Pharmacogenomics is the study of how genetic variation affects how our bodies handle drugs. Around 30% of patients have side effects from medications because their genetic differences change how the drugs work in their bodies.
In short, genetic variation is very important in health. It helps us see why some people get sick and why some treatments work for different people. Learning more about these variations helps us make medicine more personal, giving better health care based on each person's unique DNA.