The weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal included an article calling attention to the fact that many people who carry genes for particular diseases can be affected in unexpected ways. The article noted an increased incidence of Parkinson’s disease among carriers for Gaucher and frequent neurodegenerative problems among carriers for fragile X syndrome.

According to the article:

When people learn they are carriers for a genetic disease, doctors usually focus on the potential risk of having a child with the disorder. But, increasingly, researchers are finding that being a carrier itself can lead to serious health problems. Although genetic diseases are rare, “we’ve got millions of people out there who are carriers,” says R. Rodney Howell, chairman of the federal Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children.

Source: WSJ (subscription required or search via Google to read the full text)