Menkes+Disease

Causes : Menkes disease is caused by a mutation in the ATP7A gene, located on chromosome xq12-q13.

The Pattern of Inheritance : It is an X-linked recessive trait. Menkes disease is more common in males.

Characteristics of the Disorder : Menkes disease is often called kinky hair syndrome. Characteristics of this disease are floppy muscles, seizures, subnormal body temperature, brittle, discolored hair, and twisted arteries in the brain.

Treatments : Menkes disease can be handle with the use of copper injections.

Prevention : It cannot be prevented because it is genetically inherited.

Testing : It is often very subtle at the beginning, therefore it is hard to test for. Blood tests can be done one people who are a risk.



References: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/menkes/menkes.htm http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/