31-May-2023

The first three chapters of this book were a great start, and I’ve just now finished reading the second part as well. Part Two describes diseases that come from proteins malfunctioning.

This first chapter in Part Two talks about a disease that pulled a girl named Lauren Kane into the world of The Walking Dead. The condition causing this is called NMDA receptor encephalitis. As compared to some other diseases previously mentioned, this disorder can cause memory deficit, and it also leads to speech disorder, aggressive behavior, and changes in movement. Lauren Kane was suffering these symptoms, and her ability to move was also declining rapidly. She could remember basic information, like what state she lived in and what year it currently was, but soon enough, she started behaving in a way that made it very clear that she thought she was in The Walking Dead. Over time, she constantly suffered abrupt spasms of confusion and mood swings. Lauren was often questioned about being on PCP, but she never was. It turned out her body made a protein that had the same effect on her. I wonder what happened inside her that caused this big issue. I’m shocked yet fascinated as to how it’s possible for an incident like this to happen.

Another case that was similar to Lauren’s was of Mike Bellows. He had a happy life with his high school crush Amy, until his behavior changed one day. He’d avoid eye contact and pay less attention to her. He’d have major hot flashes, and he picked up some bad habits he once broke. He seemed to have lost his “nimble strength” as well. He stumbled while walking downstairs, let alone in general. Mike would get abnormally angry at sudden times, even by minor stimuli. His body would have frequent contractions, some of which would result in extreme episodes. These symptoms continued, and the “constellation of complaints suggested a diagnosis”, as stated by Peskin. It’s quite strange, since it turned out Mike’s condition was caused by a significant amount of antibodies made.

The disease Kuru is caused by an infectious protein that can be found in human brain tissue that is contaminated. It can result in physiological and neurological effects on the body, and the person infected by it can lose control over their coordination and body movements. You may have severe arm and leg pain, and difficulty in walking or regular movements. Kuru can also cause an involuntary reaction of laughing, hence the name of the chapter, “Deadly Laughter”. Dr. Vincent Zigas visited Papua New Guinea, where he witnessed the sights of Kuru. He took great interest in studying this condition. Another disease is introduced, called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. This disease was fairly similar to Kuru, and it was diagnosed to a man named Joe Holloway. Joe started losing his balance while doing everyday chores. He became extremely unsteady and clumsy. Joe was eventually hospitalized, and he started doing physical therapy. His mind was constantly all over the place, and he could no longer speak in clear ideas or sentences. While certain tests couldn’t determine what was wrong, the doctors eventually found a way to detect the problem, and it was confirmed- Joe was diagnosed with the deadly Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Whether the disease is still alive today or not is beyond my knowledge. All I can confidently say is that it does have a dangerous touch to it, and it can give people who have it quite a scare.