Family with Multiple Autoimmune/Neurological Disorders

  I am mainly interested in finding any ongoing research/studies into familys with multiple antoimmune or neurological disorders.
  This is a listing of my family disorders:
  My Mother:  Graves disease, alopecia, major depression (used DES during  pregnancy)
Her Children:
#1 Female age 45 - Bi-polar disoder (no children)
#2 Female age 43 - Major depression, Epstein Barr Virus (no children)
#3 Male age 41 - Depression, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (no children)
5 Male age 36 - Psoraisis (psoriasis), Depression, Alchoholic (no children)
#4 Female age 39 - Myself, Rhematic Fever age 9, left facial paralysis unresolved to present age 32, Myastenia Gravis age 36, Pernicious Anemia age 38, Multiple Sclerosis age 39, currently presenting Sjogren Syndrome type complaints (dry eyes, dry mouth, swelling and pain in joints) scheduled for Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, FL Oct 98.
  My Children:
#1 Female age 20 - Spinal bifida.  Mild.
#2 Male age 11 - ADHD, PDD, Bi-polar, recently diagnosed with neuroepithillia cyst, possible neoplasm.
#3 Female age 9 - Multiple congenital heart defects, Paten ductus, VSD, multiply murmurs, current PAT.
#4  Male age 7 - Tourette Syndrome, ODD, ADHD, speech and hearing impaired.
#5 Female age 1 - No diagnosis of any condition, but is showing signs of Ehlers-Danloss Syndrome.  Different father.
  Although my siblings have never had infertility testing, none of them have children, and all do beleive they cannot.  (They have no biological children, only children aquired thru marraige.)
  I am trying to locate any ongoing research/studies in multiple autoimmune/neurological diseases.  It has been suggested that we possibly have a problem in our genetic makeup and that we should pursue studies in that area.  
  It may not be of much use to us, but as my oldest daughter is of child-bearing age, it is important to her.  As it will be eventually to all my children.  
  Thank you, Jennifer Hall    

[CCF Neuro MD MJD]

Well fgirst understand that this may be more difficult than you think - Many of the disorders you note are not familial  and while others (Congenital Heart Disease, Depression, ADHD) may be increased in some families,  inheritance is probably based on many different factors and cannot be checked in one particular genetics test.  Also note that some of the conditions you mentioned - Epstein-Barr, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - are poorly described, and although blamed for much, no one is sure how to define these disorders (and thus genetic tests with that applied).  With that said, your family does have a variety of autoimmune disorders - Graves Disease, Myasthenia Gravis, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatic Fever.  Genetic testing may not help you as many of these diseases have associations and can be increased in familes but are often do not show simple genetic inheritance.  Still, ask your doctor in Jacksonville.  Certainly there might be rheumatologists, allergy and immunology physicians or geneticists (perhaps at Mayo's main site) interesting in evaluating your family.  I don't know if it would give you the answers you're looking for,  but it might give them information to contribute to future evaluations of families like yours
One other thing you mentioned - Why do your siblings believe that they can't have children?  Have they tried systematically for a good time period.  If so, then perhaps they should get worked up for infertility as you noted.  This would be of importance to them and your other relatives.
Hope this was of some help.  As always, this should be used for informative purposes and does not substitute for seeing a doctor for therapeutic or diagnostic reasons
MJD