The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke reported that tests on the deceased showed death had been caused by the emergence of holes in the brain, known as "swiss-cheesing."Įventually the U.S. and Australian physicians observed men and women with shaking limbs, which subsided with rest, but a month to three months later sufferers would begin to sway and stumble, lose the ability to stand, become cross-eyed and lose the power of coherent speech before eventually dying. The disease, which was characterized by sudden bursts of maniacal laughter, hit the headlines in the 1950s and drew in doctors from around the world. Laughing Death, more commonly known as Kuru, was exclusive to the tribal Fore people of New Guinea. The first case concerned a Norwegian woman in 1941, who developed a strong German accent and was ostracized from her community. Only 60 cases have ever been recorded.ĭoctors initially dismissed it as a psychiatric problem, but in 2002, scientists at Oxford University, England, observed that sufferers shared the same brain abnormalities, which led to changes in speech pitch, lengthening of vowel sounds and other irregularities.Īccording to the Journal of Neurolinguistics, sufferers don't necessarily have to have been exposed to the accent they adopt: their new voice is not, strictly speaking, a foreign accent, but the changes in speech often bear a striking resemblance to other world accents. Sufferers of foreign accent syndrome inexplicably find themselves talking in an unrecognizable dialect. It is not strictly an allergy but a hypersensitivity to the ions found in non-distilled water. She can shower for a maximum of 10 seconds per week and can drink only Diet Coke.
#Pica syndrome first discover skin#
It usually occurs late in life and often as a consequence of a hormonal imbalance brought about by giving birth.Ī case emerged in the UK in April this year, leaving a 21-year-old mother unable to drink water or get caught in the rain because her skin develops a painful burning rash. Sufferers appear to be allergic to water. Known to have ever affected only 30 people, water allergy or "aquagenic urticaria" is extremely rare, but its existence has been confirmed by the Medical Review Board. National Organization of Rare Disorders (NORD)says sufferers eventually lose the layer of fat beneath the skin and, in time, elasticity is lost in artery walls, leading to fatality via heart attack or stroke in 90 percent of sufferers. By the age of two, hair from the scalp, eyebrows and eyelashes is lost. Profound growth delays begin at between nine and 24 months, leading to abnormal facial developments such as a disproportionately small face, bulging, prominent eyes and an underdeveloped jaw. Sufferers of this fatal illness have a striking appearance resembling premature ageing, but die at an average age of 13. Progeria is congenital, meaning a defect or damage to a fetus. See photos of people living with rare diseases » based Center For Disease Control and Prevention recently announced it would investigate the disease after an increased number of inquiries from the public. Consequently, the fibers in the skin are thought to be textile-based, picked up by oozing scabs resulting from more common conditions such as eczema or scabies. In March 2008, the Journal of Dermatologic Therapy reported that most doctors believe it to be form of delusion, in which sufferers falsely believe they are infected with parasites.
However, there is much debate over whether the condition actually exists. The name comes from a 17th century skin condition found in France, in which children died after the emergence of 'dark hair.' The condition was named Morgellons in 2002 by a mother who believed her two-year-old son was suffering from the disease. This is often accompanied by exhaustion, short-term memory loss, joint pain and changes in vision. From the Alice in Wonderland syndrome that might have inspired Lewis Carroll, to the disease that may have sent an English King mad, we take a look at some of these obscure illnesses.Īccording to the Morgellons Research Foundation, crawling, biting and stinging sensations and the emergence of strange blue, black or red fibers from the skin characterize a disease that nearly 14,000 people suffer from, according to the Foundation.
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