A cannibal tribe in Papua New Guinea was discovered by scientists to be immune to a rare form of dementia. This discovery may help experts in finding an effective cure to this deadly neurological disease.
Metro UK reports that a genetic mutation of DNA among people in a Papua New Guinean tribe called Fore, may cure a deadly type of dementia, Kuru. The native tribes' traditional practices include eating the brains of their dead relatives.
The Fore tribe has developed resistance to Kuru, due to their cannibalism culture. Kuru is a prion-based disease, similar to viruses found in cattle (Mad Cow Disease) and sheep (Scrappie).
According to Science World Reports, this prion bacteria eats up brain neurons, that will later cause severe loss of memory and brain damage.
The Kuru disease can be acquired by eating human brains, commonly done by the Fore Tribe.
Although Kuru is a very rare disease, the DNA of the tribe may contribute to creating a medicine for other dementia problems.
In a study published by scientists from UK and Papua New Guinea in the journal, Nature, this generic mutation could also possibly cure other types of dementia such as the Parkinson's disease, also known as "the shaking palsy" due to the damaging of nerve cells; and Alzheimer's disease, which is a common form of the neurological disorder that could lead to total memory loss.
Dementia, also known as a neurological disease, has a variety of cases that cause a growing illness affecting the person's mental capacity, emotions, and behaviors. Patients with dementia suffer damages in memory and brain coordination, impairment of judgement, language difficulties, sleep disturbances, visual hallucinations, strange movements, difficulty in walking, and troubles in urinating.
Severe cases of dementia also prevents the generation of brain cells, which could eventually lead to a person's death.
