Multiple system atrophy (MSA) with orthostatic hypotension
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My father has multiple system atrophy with orthostatic hypotension.  Is this hereditary?  Is this something my brother and sisters or our children should make our doctors aware of in case symptoms start appearing?

• Is multiple system atrophy with orthostatic hypotension hereditary?

• Is multiple system atrophy with orthostatic hypotension hereditary? (Back to Top)

• Most individuals diagnosed with multiple system atrophy (MSA) have no family history of this disease and develop this condition by chance (sporadically) due to a combination of factors, both genetic and environmental.  In rare instances, there have been reports of multiple members of the same family diagnosed with MSA, which suggests that these relatives could share a genetic risk factor that increases the chance of developing this disease.  However, researchers have not yet been able to identify the genetic risk factor in these families.  To date, only one gene, namely SNCA, has been associated with an increased risk for MSA.^[1]  Therefore, there is a chance that relatives of an affected individual may be at risk to develop the disease, but it is very small.
  
• Last Reviewed: 3/1/2012

References  (Back)

1. Stemberger S, Scholz SW, Singleton AB, Wenning GK. Genetic players in multiple system atrophy: unfolding the nature of the beast. Neurobiology of Aging. 2011;32:1924.e5-14. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21601954. February 23, 2012.