predisposities

Predispositions are susceptibilities that increase the probability of developing a condition or exhibiting a certain trait, without guaranteeing the outcome. The concept encompasses genetic, biological, psychological, and environmental factors that together shape risk over a person’s life. A genetic predisposition arises from inherited variants that raise likelihood, but typically requires additional triggers such as lifestyle or exposures to produce disease. Epigenetic mechanisms can modulate predispositions by altering gene expression in response to environment, stress, or nutrition.

Predispositions are central to many medical and scientific discussions about risk. Examples include genetic predispositions to type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, several cancers, autoimmune diseases, and allergic conditions. In psychology and behavior, predispositions may influence tendencies toward anxiety, substance use, or impulsivity, but again are shaped by experience and context.

Clinically, predisposition is distinct from causation. It is used in risk assessment, family history evaluation, and increasingly in personalized medicine through genetic testing and polygenic risk scores. However, predispositions do not determine fate and can sometimes be mitigated by prevention and early intervention.

Ethical considerations include privacy, potential stigmatization, and concerns about discrimination. Accurate communication is important to avoid fatalism and to emphasize the role of environment and choice in shaping outcomes. In Dutch, predisposities is the standard term for this concept.