Hereditary Form of Autism May Be Treatable with Nutritional Supplements

A rare form of hereditary autism has been discovered and scientists think that it may be treatable with protein supplements since it is linked to an amino-acid deficiency. The genome sequencing of six children with autism revealed mutations in a gene that stops several amino acids from being depleted. Mice lacking this gene developed neurological problems, related to autism spectrum disorder, which can be reversed by dietary changes.

Read more @ SciTechDaily

Selachophobia

Selachophobia – the scientific name for an abnormal and persistent fear of sharks – is a serious problem for many would-be swimmers. Sufferers are usually completely unable to swim in the sea, even when reassured that shark nets and other safety procedures are in force.

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The term came up today for some reason. It’s pretty interesting.

The occurrence of selachophobia rose sharply after the release of Jaws, and many sufferers and psychologists attribute a fear of sharks specifically to watching this film. Some scientists have argued that Jaws has been indirectly responsible for the wide-scale and irresponsible slaughter of sharks all over the world since 1975 and has contributed directly to the decline of great white populations as a result.

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Jaws is a scary movie. I’ve watched it a few times. It’s scarier if you are younger. Even scarier if you’re not supposed to be watching it.

Fatal Familial Insomnia

Fatal familial insomnia (FFI) is a very rare autosomal dominant inherited prion disease of the brain. The dominant gene responsible has been found in just 50 families worldwide; if only one parent has the gene, the offspring have a 50% chance of inheriting it and developing the disease. The disease’s genesis and the patient’s progression into complete sleeplessness is untreatable, and ultimately fatal.

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