The School of Biomedical Sciences Wiki - User contributions [en]

Insomnia

2011-01-09T15:23:54Z

100474439:

Insomia is having a difficulty with falling or staying asleep. It is more common in women <ref>NHS - http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insomnia/Pages/Introduction.aspx (Last reviewed: 11/09/2009)</ref>.Insomnia can occur if a patient is worried or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress_%28biology%29 stressed], it can lead to daytime tiredness which can cause poor performances at work. A self help measure for trying to avoid Insomnia is to not take naps during the day <ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/insomnia1.shtml</ref><ref>http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/insomnia.html#3</ref>. 

=== Fatal Familial Insomnia ===

Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI) is an extremely rare and devastating condition. As suggested by it's name, FFI is a hereditary disease caused by a mutation in the protein [[Prions|prion]] gene <ref name="A deadly prion disease: fatal familial insomnia.">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14713095</ref> and although the onset of the disease is generally around middle age; once symptoms appear death usually occurs within one year. 

Symptoms include <ref name="Early age of onset in fatal familial insomnia. Two novel cases and review of the literature.">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15311348</ref>:

*Progressive Insomnia
*Dysautonomia
*Cognitive Decline
*Loss of Motor Skills

=== References: ===

<references />

Prions

2011-01-09T15:18:12Z

100474439:

Not all infectious diseases are transmitted by bacteria or [[Virus|viruses]]. Some neurological diseases, such as [[Creutzfeldt-Jaakob disease (CJD)|Creutzfeldt-Jaakob disease (CJD)]] or mad cow disease are in fact caused by agents called '''Prions, '''which are of similar size to viruses but are made up of only [[Protein|protein]] <ref name="null">J. M. Berg et. al (2007) p 53, Biochemistry, Sixth edition, New York, W.H. Freeman and Company</ref> 

'''Prions '''have these characteristics:

1.) "The transmissible agent consists of aggregated forms of a specific protein" <ref>J. M. Berg et. al (2007) p 53, Biochemistry, Sixth edition, New York, W.H. Freeman and Company</ref>

2.) These protein aggregates cannot be degraded by the agents that degrade most other proteins <ref>J. M. Berg et. al (2007) p 53, Biochemistry, Sixth edition, New York, W.H. Freeman and Company</ref>

3.) "The protein is largely or completely derived from a cellular protein called PrP, that is normally present in the brain" <ref>J. M. Berg et. al (2007) p 53, Biochemistry, Sixth edition, New York, W.H. Freeman and Company</ref>

 

So an aggregated form of a protein (that is already present in the brain) is the infectious agent in prion diseases <ref name="null">J. M. Berg et. al (2007) p 54, Biochemistry, Sixth edition, New York, W.H. Freeman and Company</ref>

 

 

== References ==

<references />

Prions

2011-01-09T15:17:07Z

100474439: Created page with 'Not all infectious diseases are transmitted by bacteria or viruses. Some neurological diseases, such as [[Creutzfeldt-Jaakob disease (CJD) |Creutzfeldt-Jaakob dise…'

Not all infectious diseases are transmitted by bacteria or [[virus|viruses]]. Some neurological diseases, such as [[Creutzfeldt-Jaakob disease (CJD) |Creutzfeldt-Jaakob disease (CJD) ]]or mad cow disease are in fact caused by agents called '''Prions, '''which are of similar size to viruses but are made up of only [[Protein|protein]] <ref name="null">J. M. Berg et. al (2007) p 53, Biochemistry, Sixth edition, New York, W.H. Freeman and Company</ref> 

'''Prions '''have these characteristics:

1.) "The transmissible agent consists of aggregated forms of a specific protein" <ref>J. M. Berg et. al (2007) p 53, Biochemistry, Sixth edition, New York, W.H. Freeman and Company</ref>

2.) These protein aggregates cannot be degraded by the agents that degrade most other proteins <ref>J. M. Berg et. al (2007) p 53, Biochemistry, Sixth edition, New York, W.H. Freeman and Company</ref>

3.) "The protein is largely or completely derived from a cellular protein called PrP, that is normally present in the brain" <ref>J. M. Berg et. al (2007) p 53, Biochemistry, Sixth edition, New York, W.H. Freeman and Company</ref>

So an aggregated form of a protein (that is already present in the brain) is the infectious agent in prion diseases <ref name="null">J. M. Berg et. al (2007) p 54, Biochemistry, Sixth edition, New York, W.H. Freeman and Company</ref>

== References ==

<references />