USMLE Down Syndrome

[JK270]

UW states that fragile X syndrome is the 2nd most common genetic cause and the most common inherited cause of mental ******ation in males. What is the difference between genetic cause and inherited cause? Aren't they the same? What are the 2nd and 3rd most common inherited cause of male mental ******ation? Thanks!

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[Reperfused]

Nope they're not the same.
Genetic can be either inherited or not inherited. A problem in your genes = genetic cause. A problem in your genes that you got from your father or mother = inherited, e.g. you got a mutated gene from your mother/father for hemophilia. On the other hand, a problem in your chromosomes e.g. Down syndrome, is not inherited (although it is a genetic disease), it's not something you got from your father/mother, it's unique in you, arising at the time of fertilization.

Down syndrome is the most common genetic cause of mental ******ation.
2nd is Fragile X as you stated.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[Keto]

Hi and thanks for the explanation

Just as a side note: Down Syndrome may be inherited from a parent with a balanced robertsonian translocation (where a carrier parent typically has a fusion of the long arms of chromosomes 14 and 21).

 

[you.old]

Hi and thanks for the explanation

Just as a side note: Down Syndrome may be inherited from a parent with a balanced robertsonian translocation (where a carrier parent typically has a fusion of the long arms of chromosomes 14 and 21).

True. The translocation form of Down syndrome is very rare (only 4% I guess). So, overall, Fragile X surpasses it comfortably.
Another side note: when you have a 'fragile' X, your Y dominates (macroorchidism)