Is dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy inherited ?
This condition is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, which means one copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder. In most cases, an affected person has one parent with the condition.  As the altered ATN1 gene is passed from one generation to the next, the size of the CAG trinucleotide repeat often increases in size. Larger repeat expansions are usually associated with an earlier onset of the disorder and more severe signs and symptoms. This phenomenon is called anticipation. Anticipation tends to be more prominent when the ATN1 gene is inherited from a person's father (paternal inheritance) than when it is inherited from a person's mother (maternal inheritance).