Animals have genes that are very similar to our own, so these discoveries help point researchers to the biological function of a human disease gene. However, it is a long path from finding a gene in flies or mice to finding a genetic treatment for the human disease. The Impact on Diagnostics There will be more genetic tests available to help doctors diagnose the cause of a disease. As researchers discover the role genes play in disease, there will be more genetic tests available to help doctors make diagnoses and pinpoint the cause of the disease. For example, heart disease can be caused either by a mutation in certain genes, or by environmental factors such as diet or exercise.
Doctors can easily diagnose a person with heart disease once they have symptoms.
However, doctors can't easily tell what the cause for the heart disease is in each person. Thus, all people receive the same treatment regardless of underlying cause of the disease. In the future, a panel of genetic tests for heart disease might reveal the specific genetic factors that are involved in a given person. People with a specific mutation may be able to receive treatment that is targeted to that mutation, thereby treating the cause of the disease rather than just the symptoms. Also, people with genetic risk may be able to receive preventitive treatment before symptoms become apparent.