Progeria
In Greek, progeria, means prematurely aged. There are two types of progeria. The most common, is Hutchinson-Guilford. Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch syndrome is the second type of progeria, which appears in children while they’re still in utero (Erickson Gabbey, 2016). For years, scientists had researched in an attempt to learn the cause of this disease that affects children. After decades of scientific research, the gene for Progeria Syndrome was found in April 2003 by a group of researchers working together with The Progeria Research Foundation Genetics Consortium, with the assistance of a group of French researchers. LMNA is the gene responsible for progeria. LMNA mutation causes the gene to produce an abnormal protein, known as progerin, which causes the disease to progress, leading to heart failure and a super-fast aging …show more content…
Changes do not begin to occur until after one to two years of age, in which children affected, begin to show slower growth than other children their age. Children affected by progeria show normal intelligence, however, they soon show a distinctive appearance of aging, such as baldness, wrinkles, appearance of veins, smaller pinched looking nose, and a face that appears much smaller in contrast to the size of their head. Children with progeria also exhibit symptoms that are usually characteristic of people in their senior years, such as joint stiffness, hip dysplasia and heart disease (NHGRI, 2013). While there are medications to treat pain associated with progeria, and medications that can treat some of the symptoms, there is no medication approved to treat or cure progeria. Often times, those affected undergo multiple heart surgeries in an effort to lessen the cardiovascular effects of the disease. Unfortunately, heart attack and stroke are the most likely ways in which death occurs, and the average age of death is just thirteen years old (National Institute of Health,
In Greek, progeria, means prematurely aged. There are two types of progeria. The most common, is Hutchinson-Guilford. Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch syndrome is the second type of progeria, which appears in children while they’re still in utero (Erickson Gabbey, 2016). For years, scientists had researched in an attempt to learn the cause of this disease that affects children. After decades of scientific research, the gene for Progeria Syndrome was found in April 2003 by a group of researchers working together with The Progeria Research Foundation Genetics Consortium, with the assistance of a group of French researchers. LMNA is the gene responsible for progeria. LMNA mutation causes the gene to produce an abnormal protein, known as progerin, which causes the disease to progress, leading to heart failure and a super-fast aging …show more content…
Changes do not begin to occur until after one to two years of age, in which children affected, begin to show slower growth than other children their age. Children affected by progeria show normal intelligence, however, they soon show a distinctive appearance of aging, such as baldness, wrinkles, appearance of veins, smaller pinched looking nose, and a face that appears much smaller in contrast to the size of their head. Children with progeria also exhibit symptoms that are usually characteristic of people in their senior years, such as joint stiffness, hip dysplasia and heart disease (NHGRI, 2013). While there are medications to treat pain associated with progeria, and medications that can treat some of the symptoms, there is no medication approved to treat or cure progeria. Often times, those affected undergo multiple heart surgeries in an effort to lessen the cardiovascular effects of the disease. Unfortunately, heart attack and stroke are the most likely ways in which death occurs, and the average age of death is just thirteen years old (National Institute of Health,