Wilson’s Disease Research Essay Wilson’s disease, also called hepatolenticular degeneration, is a very rare disease that only affects about 20,000 people in the United States. Wilson’s disease is inherited when your liver, brain, or other vital organs contain too much copper. The average person starts to form Wilson’s disease between the ages 12 and 23. Copper is a trace metal found in many foods that is very critical in the development of bones, collagen, and healthy nerves. Any excess copper is excreted, or removed, through bowel. However, people who absorb too much copper are not able to eliminate copper properly and the copper starts to accumulate to life-threatening levels. Wilson’s disease is an autosomal disease, meaning it affects
