Fatal familial insomnia, also known by the acronym IFF, is a rare disease that affects a brain protein, causing incurable insomnia that can affect humans or animals and is most often discovered between the ages of 30 and 60.
This disease is very serious and often leads to death, its causes are genetic, being frequent in the same family. It is estimated that there are 27 families worldwide who are afflicted by this disease, most in Europe.
Symptoms of fatal familial insomnia
The symptoms of fatal familial insomnia are:
- Phase 1 : Lasts on average 4 months and generates symptoms like lack of progressive sleep, panic attacks, fears and paranoias;
- Phase 2 : Lasts on average 5 months and causes symptoms such as panic attacks and hallucinations;
- Phase 3 : Lasts on average 3 months and generates symptoms such as total inability to sleep and sudden weight loss;
- Phase 4 : Lasts on average 6 months and generates symptoms such as dementia and total loss of contact with reality;
- Phase 5 : Sleep begins to appear and the individual will gradually enter into a coma until his death.
The diagnosis of fatal familial insomnia is made by the neurologist physician after assessing the symptoms of the disease and can be confirmed by an electroencephalogram which shows the continuous waking state in the individual's brain.
Does Fatal Family Insomnia Have Cures?
The treatment for fatal familial insomnia made with the ingestion of medications seems to make the picture worse, and therefore nothing can be done to treat it.
