Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) — The gene mutation that causes Cerebral Cavernous Malformation is unusually prevalent among New Mexico families who can trace their ancestry back many generations. CCM causes tiny blood vessels in the brain to bleed – hundreds, in some cases – potentially leading to hemorrhage, seizures, neurological disability or even death. Researchers think the mutation first appeared in a Spanish settler centuries ago. The illness sometimes affects children, but it more commonly manifests in middle-aged people as additional brain lesions appear. “If a person has the gene, they have a 50-50 chance of passing it on to each of their children. University of New Mexico School of Medicine researchers will spend this coming year offering education and DNA testing to northern New Mexico residents who may be silently carrying the gene.
