Which common diseases have multifactorial inheritance?
Multifactorial inheritance refers to disorders caused by the interaction of multiple genes acting in concert with environmental factors. These conditions represent the largest class of inherited disorders in the human population.1
Common diseases associated with multifactorial inheritance include:
| Condition |
| :--- |
| Alcoholism |
| Alzheimer disease |
| Cancer |
| Coronary heart disease |
| Diabetes |
| Epilepsy |
| Hypertension |
| Obesity |
| Schizophrenia |
Because the specific genetic and environmental triggers for these conditions are often complex or unknown, recurrence risks are typically determined empirically rather than through simple Mendelian ratios. Generally, the risk of recurrence increases based on the number of affected relatives and the closeness of the biological relationship.1