'Silent' mutations found to have repercussions beyond their own gene

Genetic disorders—like cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease—are considered incurable, with gene mutations occurring in essentially every cell of the body. Gene mutations occur when one nucleotide in a codon is switched. In non-synonymous mutations, this disrupts the codon's function to code for its amino acid. In synonymous mutations, the codon still codes the correct amino acid. As such, these mutations are dubbed "silent" and often considered inconsequential to human health.