§  red-green colorblindness – X-linked, recessive; cannot distinguish between red and green

§  hemophilia – X-linked, recessive; blood cannot clot

§  muscular dystrophy – X-linked, recessive; immune system attacks muscle cells

§  Huntington’s Disease – dominant, autosomal; rare, causes degeneration of the nervous system, fatal

§  Parkinson’s Disease – uncontrolled firing of the nerves in the brain, causing uncontrolled shaking, can be cured by L-dopa (but not its isomer, R-dopa)

§  hepatitis – liver disease, caused by parasites

§  cystic fibrosis – recessive, autosomal; fatal, produces mucus in the lungs and digestive tract that interferes with breathing

§  sickle-cell anemia – recessive, autosomal; causes the red blood cells to develop a sharp, pointed shape, heterozygous is resistant to malaria

§  PKU – recessive, autosomal; abbreviation of phenylketonuria, phenylalanine cannot be absorbed, so it builds up in the brain, causing brain damage

§  Down’s syndrome – caused by nondisjunction of chromosome 21; results in marked physical appearance and mental retardation

§  diabetes – (type 1) caused by lack of insulin, because the body kills insulin-producing cells in pancreas, or (type 2) due to poor diet and exercise, so the body stops producing insulin; both can cause blood clots, poor circulation, liver/heart damage, gangrene (leading to amputations), obesity, blindness

§  thasselemia – recessive, autosomal; improper hemoglobin production, leading to oxygen deprivation, effects can be mild to fatal

§  Tay-Saches – genetic defect in which fatty substances are not broken down

§  epilepsy – uncontrolled nerve firing in the brain, causes uncontrolled muscle movements

§  shingles – lysogenic chicken pox viral infection, hides in nerves of spine

§  meningitis – inflammation of nerves of spine

§  myxedema – skin and tissue disorder due to severe, prolonged hypothyroidism, lowers basal metabolism