Article
A sleep that never comes: Prions and their role in fatal familial insomnia - a literature review.
Polski merkuriusz lekarski : organ Polskiego Towarzystwa Lekarskiego - 1 Jan 2026
Kalbarczyk Wiktoria, Korczak Karolina, Łysikowska Martyna, Kopa Aleksandra, Zaleśkiewicz Szymon, Migała Mariusz, Placek Katarzyna, Słomka Artur
Abstract excerpt
Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI) is a rare genetic prion disease that leads to progressive neurodegeneration and death. It is caused by the D178N mutation in the PRNP (Prion Protein Gene), combined with the presence of methionine at codon 129. The disease primarily affects the thalamus - a brain structure responsible for regulating the sleep-wake cycle. FFI develops in four stages, starting with initial insomnia and...
Topics
- Humans
- Insomnia, Fatal Familial
- Prion Proteins
- Prions
- Mutation