Marfan's Syndrome

February is Marfan Syndrome Awareness Month!

Symptoms:-abnormally long arms, legs, and fingers-tall, lanky, body-curved spine-chest caves in or sticks out-hyperextended joints-flat feet, no arch-crowded teeth-stretch marks unrelated to weight loss or gain

2/3 of all people with this syndrome inherit it from their parents. The other 1/3 are the first in their family to have it. About 200,000 people in the United States have this syndrome.

Marfan Syndrome is a point genetic muation, which means it affects only one gene. This gene is FBN1, which gives instructions to build the connective tissue in your body. Also, this mutation is autosomal dominant gene. This means that if one of your parents has a code for Marfan, you automatically have the condition.

Treatments:Although there is no cure to Marfan Syndrome, a person affected can be on medication to help live easier and prevent future complications. Eventually all patients with the disease must have surgery to help prevent aortic dissection, or tearing of your aorta. After this, each patient has different parts of the body that are most affected and will need further treatments to help them.

Here's an example of autosomal dominant inheritance

Marfan's Syndrome affects Chromosome 15.

It is rumored that Abraham Lincoln had Marfan's Syndrome, because he was so tall and had very long arms and fingers. Also, many people also assumed Michael Phelps had it as well, but the tests all proved negative.

Marfan Syndrome is a genetic mutation that affects the connective tissue that links your bones, ligaments, and other parts of your body.

Marfan Syndrome

Works Cited: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/mar/treatmenthttp://www.marfan.org/about/marfanhttp://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/marfan-syndrome