More genetic baldness links uncovered
12.10.2008 20:00
Health
- Source: cbc.ca
Some men who carry two genetic variants may have a sevenfold increased chance of showing male pattern baldness, international researchers have found. In Sunday's issue of the journal Nature Genetics, two teams of researchers described the predisposition to male pattern baldness — the most common form of baldness, usually involving hair loss above the temples and at the crown of the head. Male pattern baldness affects about one-third of men by age 45. Hair loss takes a social and economic toll for some, with hair transplants in the U.S. alone costing $115 million US in 2007, according to the researchers. In one study, researchers at Montreal's McGill University, King's College in London and drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline, along with colleagues in Iceland, Switzerland and the Netherlands, found that the 14 per cent of men who carry one variant on chromosome 20 and one "androgen receptor variant" showed the sevenfold increased risk. The findings were made in a study of 1,125 Caucasian men and confirmed in an additional 1,650. "I would presume male pattern baldness is caused by the same genetic variation in non-Caucasians," said Brent Richards, a professor in genetic epidemiology at McGill. "But we haven't studied those populations, so we can't say for certain." The scientific discovery identified a cause of male pattern baldness, but a treatment is not imminent, the researchers cautioned. In a second study, Axel Hillmer of the University of Bonn in Germany and his colleagues showed the frequency of the chromosome 20 variant varied worldwide. The newly discovered gene on chromosome 20 can be inherited from both the mother and father. "This helps to provide an explanation for the similarity [in hair growth] between father and son," said Prof. Markus Noethen of Bonn University's Institute of Human Genetics. In 2005, scientists showed that the first known hair loss gene was inherited from mothers, which explained why hair loss in men often reflected that of maternal grandfathers. Story Tools: E-MAIL | PRINT | Text Size: SMLXL | REPORT TYPO | SEND YOUR FEEDBACKRelatedInternal LinksHair loss the mane topic at Vancouver conferenceExternal LinksNature Genetics(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window) Health HeadlinesEconomic downturn poses threat to mental health: WHO The added stress of a global economic downturn could lead to a rise in mental health problems, the World Health Organization said Friday.More genetic baldness links uncovered Some men who carry two genetic variants may have a sevenfold increased chance of showing male pattern baldness, international researchers have found.Morgentaler receives Order of Canada in Quebec CityAbortion-rights activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler received his Order of Canada award on Friday at a ceremony in Quebec City.Strep strain not a widespread threat: health officialsA potentially deadly strain of streptococcal infections that contributed to the deaths of 10 people in northwestern Ontario doesn't pose a widespread threat, the province's chief medical officer of health says.Most recent listeria finding 'very, very low,' says Maple Leaf CEO Maple Leaf's CEO says the most recent findings of listeria at the company's Toronto plant are a sign its testing system is working. Health FeaturesIN DEPTHNobel PrizeFrom Alfred's willISSUE WATCHHealth careWhy MDs are scarce and what can be done about itHEALTHPsychologyInside the endurance athlete's mindHEALTH CAREMapNursing homes across CanadaHEALTHTuberculosisAnatomy of a killerCHILD PSYCHOLOGYPoliticians' behaviourHow do we explain it to our kids?People who read this also read …
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