Genetic diseases are caused by abnormalities in the genes or the chromosomes of an individual person.
These diseases are inherited from parents to children.
Recessive genetic disorders can develop due to favorable environmental or lifestyle conditions.
If we talk of types of genetic diseases, these can be single gene, multifactorial, chromosome abnormality or a mitochondrial inheritance.
Single gene disorder takes place in one gene only when the protein arrangement is missing or altered.
Common examples include cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia.
Single gene genetic disorder is further classified into autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant disorders.
Next is the multifactorial inheritance which happens due to mutations in multiple genes coupled with encouragement from favorable environment conditions.
Diseases coming under this category are breast cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart diseases and Alzheimer's disease.
Chromosome abnormality is yet another type where an entire set of chromosomes are missing or altered.
Examples are Down's syndrome, Turner's syndrome, Huntington's disease and Williams Syndrome.
Mitochondrial inheritance is caused by gene cells present in mitochondria and passed on only be mothers since egg cells are the contributor of mitochondria in an embryo.
Genetic disorders in this category are Leber's hereditary optic atrophy, dementia and strokes.
Some types of genetic disorders are even caused by X-linked and Y-linked chromosomes where the former is passed on by female and the latter by the male counterpart.
The dominant types occur with just one mutated copy of the gene while the recessive ones take place due to both the genes mutated.