YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A donated organ turned out to be the key in determining what caused a Youngstown State University student to collapse while playing basketball on campus.

The Mahoning County Coroner's Office says the death Eric Stone was caused by a heart defect known as arrhythmogenic ventricular cardiomyopathy, which according to the National Institutes of Health, is a form of heart disease that usually appears in adulthood.

The condition causes part of the heart muscle to break down over time, increasing the risk of an abnormal heartbeat and sudden death.

Stone collapsed earlier this month at the Andrews Student Recreation and Wellness Center, and was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Deputy Mahoning County Coroner and Forensic Pathologist Dr. Joseph Ohr tells 21 News that the initial examination of the victim's organs turned up no evidence of what may have caused the death.

Since Stone's family had donated their son's heart to an organ bank, a routine examination of the heart by a cardiopathologist discovered the defect that led to the death of the 21-year-old.

Dr. Ohr says there is no way to determine if a young person is susceptible to the genetic disease until symptoms begin to develop as the victim ages.

However, the doctor says it is possible that people with the disease can live healthy lives if it does not transform into a life-threatening condition.

Dr. Ohr advises people to become familiar with the cardiac history of other members of their family, and if there is a record of heart problems, to undergo a thorough medical examination.

Although Dr. Ohr could not say if the donated heart will be transplanted, he points out that there are some parts of the heart, such as valves, veins and tissues that can still be utilized to help save a life.