From healing quickly to being completely resistant to disease, here are 11 conditions that turn
people into superheros!
11.
Hyperthymesia
Also known as highly superior autobiographical memory, or HSAM, hyperthymesia is a condition
wherein a person remembers an abnormally vast number of their life experiences in detail.
As of now, only 60 people in the world have this condition.
Patients can describe any day of their life in vivid detail, even from their childhood,
and can recite from books they've read from years ago.
Wouldn't that be awesome?
I would love to remember all the books I've read!
The first case of hyperthymesia was reported in 2006 in the journal Neurocase.
The article described a woman referred to as "AJ" who could recall events and dates
from her life with superhuman accuracy.
Researchers interviewed and tested her for five years prior to the article.
Eventually, the patient was revealed to be a woman named Jill Price, who later published
a memoir called The Woman Who Can't Forget.
Despite how amazing it sounds, it wasn't what you might think.
Price said that she didn't find it helpful in school and reported problems with rote
memorization.
Once, researchers asked her to close her eyes and recall what clothes she was wearing at
the moment.
She couldn't.
Well, that's kind of like the rest of us who can't even remember what we had for
dinner!
People with hyperthymesia report a superior memory for dates and that the past often feels
like the present when they recall it.
Memories also tend to feel very emotionally intense.
They also feel burdened and isolated by their gift.
It just gets to be too much.
People with hyperthymesia tend to have traits similar to OCD, where they can't stop thinking
about certain events or dates.
Interestingly, they are still susceptible to "false memories".
Scientists found that they were just as suggestible as normal people and could be manipulated
into incorrectly remembering news footage.
10.
Myostatin-Related Muscle Hypertrophy
This disease reduces body fat and can double muscle mass.
It's caused by a deficiency in the MSTN gene, which is responsible for the production
of a protein called myostatin.
Myostatin helps the body control the development and growth of tissues.
Essentially, when the gene goes wrong, the body can't control how much muscle is grown.
This condition is so rare scientists aren't even sure how many people have it.
Myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy was first discovered in the 1990s but it was only recorded
in Belgian Blue cattle.
These cows are known for their unusually large muscle mass.
To learn more check out my video on "bizarre creatures created by science"
Then, in 2000, a German boy was reported to have this condition.
However, it wasn't officially entered into any medical literature for another four years.
The boy, Liam Hoekstra, was diagnosed at age three when he began displaying superhuman
strength.
This kid is all muscle!
Despite his age, he could lift five-pound dumbbells and perform multiple chin-ups.
Liam possesses almost 40 percent more muscle mass than other kids of his age, an extremely
fast metabolism, and very little body fat.
As of yet, the condition has not had an adverse effect on his health.
His parents shield him from media exposure so that he can have a normal childhood.
Liam is a real life superhero!
9.
Congenital Analgesia
People born without the ability to feel physical pain have a condition known as congenital
analgesia.
However, despite its rarity, one village in Sweden has reported 40 cases of people with
the same condition.
Not being able to feel pain sounds like the best superpower to have.
However, it's extremely dangerous, especially for little children.
A person who cannot feel pain won't know if they're injured or have an illness that
causes pain.
Small children can easily hurt themselves while playing and continue hurting themselves
without realizing they're doing it.
One especially chilling example of this comes from Steven Pete, who grew up in Washington
State.
Pete's parents knew something was wrong when, at four or five months, he started chewing
his tongue while teething.
He was taken to a pediatrician, who ran needles up and down his back, as well as held a cigarette
lighter under his foot, before determining that Pete had the rare condition.
By that point, he had chewed off a quarter of his tongue.
This rare superpower would be incredible as an adult but if you can't feel pain, then
what would stop you from causing pain to others??
8.
Williams Syndrome
Affecting one in ten thousand people worldwide, Williams Syndrome is a genetic condition caused
by the spontaneous deletion of 26-28 genes on chromosome #7.
It causes cardiovascular disease, developmental delays, and learning disabilities.
What about this syndrome, though, can make someone into a superhero?
If happiness, cheerfulness, and kindness are superpowers, then sufferers of Williams Syndrome
are X-Men.
Their optimism really knows no bounds, just like Pollyanna.
It's actually a little eerie.
They also have an enormous affinity for music.
In fact, their talent for music is so great that there are entire programs and centers
dedicated to teaching music to those with Williams Syndrome.
7.
Savant Syndrome
People with savant syndrome are extremely talented in music, painting, calculations,
cartography, and constructing 3D models.
Extremely talented to a degree that seems superhuman.
One psychiatrist attributed these extreme skills to a near-perfect memory.
Most people associate savant syndrome with autism because television and movies often
associate the two.
Forrest Gump, Rain Man, and A Beautiful Mind are only three famous examples of this.
However, anyone with a neurodevelopmental disorder can have savant syndrome.
Only 10 percent of autistic people have savant syndrome and only half of the people with
savant syndrome have autism.
Remarkable Savants include mathematician Jedediah Buxton, scientist Temple Grandin, artist Gottfried
Mind, and numerical genius George Widener.
6.
Marfan Syndrome
Marfan Syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects connective tissue.
It causes people to grow taller and have longer limbs and fingers.
The tissue also weakens as it grows, which causes pain and discomfort.
If left untreated, the average lifespan drops to thirty-two.
How, though, could it possibly turn someone into a superhero?
Marfan Syndrome opens the way for people to be extremely talented musicians because it
grants the sufferer long fingers and exceptional dexterity.
It's believed that Sergei Rachmaninoff, a famous Russian pianist, had Marfan Syndrome.
Other sufferers include violinist Niccolo Paganini, actor and musician Bradford Cox,
and composer John Tavener.
People have repeatedly accused Olympic medalist Michael Phelps of having Marfan Syndrome,
not that he's a musician obviously, but he has repeatedly denied this.
What do you think?
Do you think Michael Phelps has a syndrome that makes him such a good swimmer?
5.
Urbach-Wiethe Disease
If you weren't afraid, what do you think you would be able to accomplish?
If you have Urbach-Wiethe disease, you wouldn't have to ask yourself that question.
This rare genetic disorder leads to a complete absence of fear.
Scientists only know of 300 cases and strangely enough, a quarter of them occurred in South
Africa.
How does this disease cause fearlessness?
It damages or destroys the amygdala, which is the part of the brain that controls our
"fight or flight response".
That response usually presents itself as fear.
Fear helps us to evaluate a situation on our most basic animal level.
Should we fight or run??
The most famous Urbach-Wiethe patient is an American woman known simply as S.M.
Researchers have repeatedly tried to frighten her.
They've given her poisonous snakes and spiders.
They've showed her horror films and locked her in haunted houses.
None of that has scared her once.
In her real life, she's been subjected to experiences that would terrify the most courageous
person, including a nighttime knife attack.
The head of the research group in charge of evaluating her has reportedly stated that
it's surprising S.M. is still alive, since she had no ability to evaluate danger.
This would be amazing if she were a spy!
But since she's not I don't know if it's more a weakness or a strength?
4.
Sclerosteosis
Have you seen the movie Unbreakable?
It's about a man who cannot be injured.
Well, something like that already exists in real life.
It's a genetic mutation called sclerosteosis and it makes bones several times denser than
the average human's.
This sounds like a blessing.
However, the excessive bone growth can cause pressure on the brain and cranial nerves.
This sometimes leads to hearing loss.
So far, there are only about forty reported cases in the whole world.
Sclerosteosis is caused when a certain protein fails and no longer slows or stops bone growth.
Scientists believe that if the effects of this mutation could be mimicked, then they
could counter osteoporosis.
If the DNA of people with sclerosteosis could be harnessed, they could be worth billions.
Osteoporosis affects 3 million people a year and is a condition that cannot be cured.
At the moment, osteoporosis is treated with a group of drugs called bisphosphonates.
These mimic a molecule that inhibits cells taking away bone.
However, it's hoped that with a better understanding of sclerosteosis and similar conditions, better
treatments involving the protein that controls bone growth can be developed.
3.
Stone Man Syndrome
Also known as Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, Stone Man Syndrome is a rare disease that
causes people to heal faster!
That sounds like the best superpower ever!
Unfortunately, the healed tissue hardens like stone.
Also, ligaments and tendons are slowly replaced with bone, hence the name "stone man syndrome".
As the syndrome progresses and the patient injures themselves, the body slowly hardens
like stone.
This includes minor injuries and any injuries to the internal organs.
Eventually, the patient becomes immobile, becoming, in essence, a living statue.
Any attempt to remove excessive bone growth only leads to more growth.
The body shuts down and they die.
There are only 800 known patients worldwide.
People with this syndrome tend to not live for very long.
How long they live depends on how well they can prevent injury.
People with Stone Man Syndrome are also unable to have children.
In 2016, a one-year-old boy in Oklahoma was diagnosed with this condition.
However, as long as the disease is managed properly, the boy has a good chance of living
into his forties.
His parents just have to be super careful that he doesn't hurt himself.
If they let him play with tablets and video games, they should be good to go!
2.
Tertiary Neurosyphilis
It doesn't exactly raise a person to superhero status but someone with tertiary neurosyphilis
receives a surprising benefit.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease.
When left untreated, it reaches a stage called "tertiary".
At this point, the patient will suffer things like paralysis, blindness, dementia, seizures,
and rotting flesh.
It is not pretty.
BUT, it will also turn you into a creative genius.
I'm not making that up.
Before the disease begins to break the person down, someone with syphilis who is also creative
may experience what is known as "euphoric creativity".
It's almost as if a door is opened in their minds and they can suddenly create masterpieces
of their chosen art.
Many believe that the negative effects, for a short time, heighten senses and allow for
insights that were otherwise unavailable.
For example, Beethoven had tertiary neurosyphilis.
His hearing was destroyed by the disease but, at the same time, he wrote the famous and
unfinished Ninth Symphony.
Some believe Nietzsche was inspired by syphilis as well.
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1.
Superhero DNA
This last one is not a disease or condition but rather the opposite.
In 2016, it was revealed that 13 people possess what has been called "superhero DNA".
After studying close to 600,000 people, an international team of scientists discovered
this small group of people with an amazing gene mutation.
The research, part of an overall study called "The Resilience Project", didn't focus
on people who succumbed to illness but those who beat the odds.
These people were born with a predisposition for a serious and debilitating condition,
only for something in their DNA to cause them to be resistant to that condition.
Unfortunately, these people don't know they have this ability.
Because of a quirk of the consent forms they signed, the researchers cannot contact them.
A new study is going to be relaunched but this time, participants will donate samples
with the understanding that they will be contacted again.
It's hoped that by understanding why these people didn't get sick when they should
have, scientists will be able to cure the incurable.
Thanks for watching and keep an eye out for these real life super heroes.
They may be among you.
Be sure to subscribe and see you next time!
Byeee!
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