Prevention of Mental Retardation (Genetics)

Abstract

More than half of severe mental retardation is caused by genetically determined disorders. Advances in genetics are proceeding at an accelerating pace, which is primarily due to advances in DNA technology. It is likely that DNA markers for all of the major genetic causes of mental retardation will be available by the year 2000, or not long thereafter. These advances provide an almost awesome potential for the prevention of severe mental retardation. Unlike so many other issues covered in other chapters in this book, the main limitation will not be financial: It is anticipated that technical advances will diminish the cost of the “unit of detection” of a preventable genetic cause of severe mental retardation. On the other hand, financial issues will surely arise in respect to administration of therapies that are beginning to be available and will surely “explode” in the future. Probably the most difficult problems will arise from ethical issues, which will dwarf those that we are not resolving well at the present time.