Fatal Familial Insomnia Is Untreatable And Deadly
- Date: 2007-04-21 - Word Count: 399
Share This!
A form of an inherited gene disorder called fatal familial insomnia is a rare ailment, affecting fewer than 50 families around the world, but is untreatable and almost always fatal. If one parent has the gene, there is a 50 percent chance it will be handed down to their children. Once the illness begins to present itself, in seven to 18 months the patient will completely lose the ability to sleep and death results.
The gene causes mutation of a protein, which causes plaque to form in the thalamus, the portion of the brain that controls sleep. This stage of fatal familial insomnia initially results in insomnia and for about four months of this progression, can cause panic attacks and unfounded fears of just about everything. For another five months, the panic attacks will become more pronounced and hallucinations may also result from the lack of sleep.
The third stage of fatal familial insomnia lasts about three months and causes the patient to completely lose the inability to sleep and is typically accompanied by rapid weight loss. The final stage usually results in dementia and the patient may become mute during the final six months of the disease progression. This is the final stage that usually results in death. There is no known cure or treatment regiment for fatal familial insomnia.
Finding Relationship To Other Brain Disorders
As research continues relationships with other gene disorders such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or Mad Cow Disease, and also chronic wasting disease found in deer and elk. These prior diseases may be related at the gene level as well as koru, known as the laughing disease that causes sudden outbursts of laughter for no apparent reason.
The ailment has presented itself at various ages, ranging from 30 to 60 years of age, with an average of about 50 and death usually occurs within seven to 36 months of the onset. The form of fatal familial insomnia in humans is not contagious but the onset will vary from patient to patient, even with siblings from the same family. Gene therapy is still being researched but so far has not proven successful in fighting the ailment.
While studies of fatal familial insomnia continue, it is believed the lack of the ability to sleep is the underlying cause of the panic attacks and hallucinations; it is the formation of plaque in the brain that shuts down the person's ability to sleep.
The gene causes mutation of a protein, which causes plaque to form in the thalamus, the portion of the brain that controls sleep. This stage of fatal familial insomnia initially results in insomnia and for about four months of this progression, can cause panic attacks and unfounded fears of just about everything. For another five months, the panic attacks will become more pronounced and hallucinations may also result from the lack of sleep.
The third stage of fatal familial insomnia lasts about three months and causes the patient to completely lose the inability to sleep and is typically accompanied by rapid weight loss. The final stage usually results in dementia and the patient may become mute during the final six months of the disease progression. This is the final stage that usually results in death. There is no known cure or treatment regiment for fatal familial insomnia.
Finding Relationship To Other Brain Disorders
As research continues relationships with other gene disorders such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or Mad Cow Disease, and also chronic wasting disease found in deer and elk. These prior diseases may be related at the gene level as well as koru, known as the laughing disease that causes sudden outbursts of laughter for no apparent reason.
The ailment has presented itself at various ages, ranging from 30 to 60 years of age, with an average of about 50 and death usually occurs within seven to 36 months of the onset. The form of fatal familial insomnia in humans is not contagious but the onset will vary from patient to patient, even with siblings from the same family. Gene therapy is still being researched but so far has not proven successful in fighting the ailment.
While studies of fatal familial insomnia continue, it is believed the lack of the ability to sleep is the underlying cause of the panic attacks and hallucinations; it is the formation of plaque in the brain that shuts down the person's ability to sleep.
Related Tags: sleep, insomnia cure, sleep and insomnia, cherries and insomnia, diuretics and insomnia, fatal familial insomnia, feng shui insomnia remedies, global insomnia, insomnia and ultram, insomnia in teenagers, insomnia symptoms, menopause insomnia, methodone withdrawal insomnia
Author
Ann Marier a prolific writer has written many informative articles on many health resources. Her latest articles look at insomnia and different insomnia treatment.
www.insomniatreatment.ultimatehealthinfo.com
www.ultimatehealthinfo.com
www.meatsmokers.4houseandgarden.com Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Dental Insurance For Individual Can Be Of Help At Time
Dental problem may cost one a lot of money and pain. But, practicing a reasonable care could decreas - Personal Trainer For Perfect Health
There is a general misconception that need for a fitness trainer comes for novice or from those who - Varicose Veins - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
The majority of people after thirty notice the changes that appear with the maturing. In this case t - Scenar Therapy - Self-treatment Or Healing Partnership
Do you want to learn about a device which will help you to ease your pain? If you get this kind of a - Scenar - 5 "no, Nos" Of Scenar
Are you fed up with the pain in your body? Various parts of our body seem to ache due to different r - Scenar Device - 5 Tips On Travelling With Your Scenar (skenar) Device
You might be aware of scenar which has become quite popular these days. This is actually the acronym - Scenar Therapy - How To Treat Your Pet With Scenar
There are many alternative methods of treatment that are being invented these days. Lots of people a - Your Options For The Treatment For Appendicitis
Appendicitis is considered to be a surgical illness. Due to its severe character, the treatment for - How To Choose The Right Copd Medication
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD does not have any cure. But with the help of medicines - Septic Arthritis: Infectious Agents Penetrate Joints' Spaces
Another major type of arthritis is septic arthritis, which is also known in various terms like: pyog
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Drugs - the Last Alternative for Adhd in Kids
Anyone over the age of thirty who has grown up with ADHD understands that there was not much help av - Foods To Eat To Gain Weight
Malnutrition has the same degree of problem as obesity. There are people who are too skinny, they fi - Understanding Postpartum Clothing
The same way most pregnant women dream of the day when they will begin showing for wearing maternity - Kegel Exercising for Bladder Control and Enhanced Sexual Pleasure
Kegel exercises strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, thereby improving the urethra and/or rec - The Use Of Weight Loss Herbs
Nothing has garnered more attention in today's world than the success or failures of weight loss pro - A Simple Acid Relux Cure
Many people today are afflicted with heartburn. If they eat food that is too spicy, they get heartbu - Five Effective Household Back Pain Treatments
Back pain treatment comes in lots of forms, from exercise to pain mediction. Standard and most wides - Herbal Remedies - Can They Cure What Ails You?
You've probably heard about herbal remedies before and how they can treat a variety of health proble - Natural Relief for Tinnitus - What are your Choices
Natural Relief For Tinnitus - Alternative Options Did you know that there are an estimated 50 t - Birthing Around the World
Since ancestral times, different cultures showed off different customs and beliefs around the miracl
