The Genetics of Alopecia Areata
December 2001
in “
Dermatologic Therapy
”
TLDR Alopecia areata has a complex genetic basis that was not fully understood as of 2001.
The document from 2001 reviews the understanding of the genetics of alopecia areata (AA), a condition with a significant genetic component, as evidenced by a higher prevalence of AA in first-degree relatives and a 55% concordance rate in monozygotic twins. Epidemiological studies and associations with HLA alleles suggest a complex genetic basis, but specific genes had not been identified. The review discusses the challenges of genetic research in complex diseases and the potential of new methods, such as microarray analyses and the use of SNPs, to uncover the genetic factors of AA. The Human Genome Project is highlighted as a valuable resource for this research, although the genetic basis for AA remained unknown at the time of writing.
