Doctors argue that genetics aren't destiny when it comes to a person's health, and a study appears to support that notion.

A healthy lifestyle can offset the effects of life-shortening genes by more than 60%, researchers found.

People at high genetic risk of a curtailed lifespan could extend their life expectancy by nearly 5.5 years if they've adopted a healthy lifestyle by age 40, ...

Researchers have conclusively identified the genetic cause of a rare, progressive movement disorder.

A rare extra-long version of a gene appears to cause nerve cells to become poisoned by toxic proteins in people with spinocerebellar ataxia 4 (SCA4), researchers report.

SCA4 causes muscle weakness and difficulty coordinating body movement, most notably resulting in a jerky and unste...

New Jersey native Lisa Pisano was staring down the end of her days.

The 54-year-old had heart failure and end-stage kidney disease, but several chronic medical conditions excluded her as a candidate for heart and kidney transplants.

"All I want is the opportunity to have a better ...

Two newly discovered genetic variations can have a powerful effect on a person's risk for obesity, a new report says.

Variants in the gene BSN, also known as Bassoon, can increase risk of obesity as much as sixfold, researchers report April 4 in the journal Nature Genetics.

These variants affect about 1 in every 6,500...

A genetic mutation that boosts cell function could protect people against Alzheimer's disease, even if they carry another gene mutation known to boost dementia risk.

The newly discovered mutation appears to protect people who...

Folks with genetically-driven stress are more likely to suffer heart attacks after nerve-wracking events or times of unrest, a new study shows.

People with above-average genetic scores linked to neuroticism and stress were 34% more likely to experience a heart attack followi...

THURSDAY, March 21, 2024 (HealthDay news) -- For the first time ever, doctors have transplanted a genetically edited pig kidney into a human suffering from advanced kidney failure.

Such pig kidneys, altered to lower the risk of rejection and disease, have been successfully placed into monkeys and brain-dead human donor bodies.

But Rick Slayman, 62, is the first living patient to rec...

It only appears to work until age 74, but a new study has identified a gene variant that protects men from from severe illness and death when COVID lands them in the hospital.

The protective gene appears to help tamp down inflammation, researchers say. It is an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (1L1RN) variant. 

While inflammation is a normal response to infection, if left unch...

Folks worried about becoming flabby in middle age should check out what their parents looked like when they were that age, a new study says.

People are six times more likely to become obese in middle age if both their parents were chubby during that time of their lives, according to research to be present...

Nearly a quarter of Labrador retrievers are more likely to be obese due to a genetic "double-whammy,"a new study finds.

This gene mutation causes Labradors to both feel hungry all the time and also burn fewer calories, British researchers report.

The mutation involves a gene called POMC, which plays a critical role in hunger and energy use among Labs.

About 25% of Labradors an...

Rare gene-driven defects such as Down syndrome have occurred among human beings for many thousands of years, a new analysis of ancient DNA has revealed.

Not only did the birth defects exist, but these infants were often buried with care by their community. That suggests they were included as part of the community despite their differences, researchers said.

Six cases of Down syndrom...

Women who carry certain mutations in their BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes know they are at heightened odds for breast cancer.

Now, Canadian research suggests that for some patients a "risk-reducing" preventive mastectomy may cut the odds of dying from breast cancer later.

"The decision to have a risk-reducing mastectomy is often difficult for a woman to make, and the more evidence we are able...

Accurate genetic tests for 10 common diseases are nearly ready for everyday use in doctor's offices, a new study says.

Gene scans for 10 common illnesses have been honed to the point that they now are being road-tested in clinical research, according to a team at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

The tests evaluate a person's specific genetic risk for conditions like atrial fi...