Health and Fitness

Zimmerman-Laband syndrome Overview Laband syndrome, also known as Zimmerman-Laband syndrome, is an extremely rare genetic disorder characterized by abnormalities of the head and facial (craniofacial) area and the hands and feet. Most children with this disorder have abnormally large gums (gingival fibromatosis). Overgrown gums may affect the ability to chew, swallow, and/or speak. In addition, affected infants may exhibit abnormally long, thin fingers and toes and/or deformed (dysplastic) or absent nails at birth. In some cases, mental retardation may also be present. In most cases, Laband syndrome is believed to be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. However, evidence of autosomal recessive inheritance has also been reported. Symptoms Laband syndrome is an extremely rare genetic disorder characterized by abnormalities of the head and face (craniofacial) area and the fingers and toes, particularly the thumbs and great toes. Abnormalities affecting the fingers and toes may be appa...

Postnatal depression What is postnatal depression? Many new parents feel tired or overwhelmed, but postnatal depression is different. In postnatal depression, you may have feelings of: sadness numbness hopelessness These symptoms affect your ability to cope with and enjoy your daily life. Postnatal depression is common, affecting about 1 in 7 women in the first year after having a baby. Up to 1 in 10 fathers also experience depression around this time. If you have symptoms of depression, there's lots of support available to help you get back to enjoying life and your new baby. Getting help early is best for both you and your baby. What are the symptoms of postnatal depression? People experience postnatal depression differently, but many people will have similar symptoms or difficulties. Sometimes, signs of depression are missed or dismissed as a normal part of life with a new baby. So, it's a good idea to be aware of the common signs of postnatal depression. Common symptoms of ...

Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnea (PND) Overview What is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND)? Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND) is when you’re suddenly awakened feeling short of breath. Unlike orthopnea, it doesn’t happen when you’re awake and lying down or reclining, only when you’re asleep. PND can feel scary, like you can’t breathe or are working hard to get a deep breath. You may gasp for air and cough. It can be particularly jarring because it wakes you suddenly, after an hour or two of sleep. Sitting up helps you feel better within about 10 to 15 minutes. Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea is pronounced “pair-uh-SIZ-muhl knock-TUR-nuhl DISP-nee-uh.” Possible Causes What causes paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea? Heart, lung and neurological issues are the most common causes of sudden breathlessness when you’re sleeping: Heart disease. When you’re lying down, your blood moves from your legs to your lungs. If your heart can’t move the extra blood out efficiently, the extra fluid puts pressure on y...

Acrocallosal Syndrome Overview Acrocallosal syndrome, Schinzel type is a rare genetic disorder that is apparent at birth (congenital). Associated symptoms and findings may be variable, including among affected members of the same family (kindred). However, the disorder is typically characterized by underdevelopment (hypoplasia) or absence (agenesis) of the thick band of nerve fibers joining the two hemispheres of the brain (corpus callosum) and moderate to severe mental retardation. In addition, many affected individuals have malformations of the skull and facial (craniofacial) region and/or distinctive abnormalities of the fingers and toes (digits). Characteristic craniofacial abnormalities may include an unusually large head (macrocephaly) with a prominent forehead, widely spaced eyes (ocular hypertelorism), downslanting eyelid folds (palpebral fissures), a small nose with a broad nasal bridge; and malformed (dysplastic) ears. Most affected individuals also have distinctive digital m...

  ACAD9 deficiency Overview ACAD9 deficiency is a rare, autosomal recessive metabolic disorder that impairs mitochondrial function, leading to reduced energy production. It primarily causes severe muscle weakness, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart), and lactic acidosis. Often presenting in infancy, it can be fatal but may respond to high-dose Riboflavin therapy. Symptoms Muscle Issues (Myopathy): Low muscle tone (hypotonia), muscle weakness (myopathy), and exercise intolerance (fatigue). Cardiac Issues (Cardiomyopathy) : Enlarged and weakened heart muscle (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is common), rhythm abnormalities, and potential heart failure. Neurological Issues: Intellectual disability, developmental delays, seizures, and sometimes movement disorders. Metabolic Crisis: Acute symptoms can include severe lactic acidosis, liver dysfunction, vomiting, and failure to thrive in infants. Other Symptoms: Shortness of breath, fatigue, and in some cases, Leigh's syndrome (a ...

Bassen-Kornzweig syndrome (abetalipoproteinemia)  Overview Abetalipoproteinemia is a rare inherited disorder affecting fat absorption by the intestine and mobilization by the liver. Inability to absorb fat results in deficiencies of lipids and various essential vitamins. Affected individuals experience progressive neurological deterioration, muscle weakness, difficulty walking and blood abnormalities including a condition in which the red blood cells are malformed (acanthocytosis) resulting in low levels of circulating red blood cells (anemia). Affected individuals may also develop degeneration of the retina of the eyes potentially resulting in loss of vision, a condition known as retinitis pigmentosa. Abetalipoproteinemia is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern and is caused by changes (mutations or variants) in the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTTP) gene. Abetalipoproteinemia was first reported in the medical literature by doctors Bassen and Kornzweig in 1950 ...