Numerous genetic diseases can affect the elderly. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, genetic diseases or disorders are caused by gene variations or mutations, and many diseases have a genetic component. The NIH states that some diseases are caused by a mutated gene that's passed down through generations, and that children can inherit the gene responsible for the disease. Genetic diseases affect people of all ages, including the elderly.
Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease is a genetic disease that can occur in the elderly. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, or NINDS--a division of the National Institutes of Health--Parkinson's disease is a motor system disorder that's characterized by tremors or trembling in a person's hands, arms, legs, jaw and face, along with limb and trunk stiffness, slow movement and poor balance and coordination. The NINDS states that environmental factors, such as toxins, may trigger the onset of Parkinson's disease, but that it may also be caused by genetic factors and defective genes. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, or USNLM, most cases of Parkinson's disease are sporadic, occurring in people with no family history of the disease, and that sporadic cases may arise from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. The USNLM states that about 15 percent of people with Parkinson's disease have a family history of the condition.
Huntington's Disease
Huntington's disease is a genetic disease that can occur in the elderly. The Mayo Clinic states that Huntington's disease is a progressive, degenerative genetic disorder that causes the wasting of a person's brain nerve cells, and that Huntington's disease is characterized by uncontrolled movements, emotional upset and mental degeneration. Huntington's disease typically manifests in middle-aged individuals, although younger people--including children--can develop the disease, too. According to the Mayo Clinic, people who develop Huntington's disease at a young age often have more serious symptoms, and the disease progresses more rapidly in these individuals. Common signs and symptoms associated with Huntington's disease include the following: personality changes, impaired cognitive abilities, balance and coordination problems, involuntary facial movements and dementia.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is a genetic disease that can occur in the elderly. According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, or NHGRI--a division of the National Institutes of Health--skin cancer is the most common type of cancer among Americans, and about 40 to 50 percent of people in the United States who reach the age of 65 will have skin cancer at least once. The NHGRI notes that basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer among Americans, accounting for 90 percent of all skin cancers, and that melanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer. According to the NHGRI, most cancers are caused by both environmental and genetic factors, and although a person's environment is a more significant contributor to skin cancer, he can be born with a genetic predisposition or susceptibility for skin cancer. Fair-skinned individuals have the greatest risk of skin cancer.
