Discovery delves into astonishing medical anomalies in 'Body Bizarre'

Is it possible to sweat and cry blood? What is it like to have a hole in your face? How do you play football without feet? The 6-part special series will air every Monday to Friday at 10 PM starting May 13

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | May 9, 2013

Discovery Channel's eye-opening series, Body Bizarre, travels across the globe in search of extraordinary individuals living with some of the planet's most mysterious, unusual and thought-provoking medical anomalies that have puzzled even the world's best doctors and experts. From India to Indonesia, China to Ethiopia, the Dominican Republic, Hawaii, the UK, Texas, USA, and more, Body Bizarre uncovers the real human stories behind the headlines and brings to light what life is genuinely like for these remarkable people whose lives have been afflicted by physically and emotionally horrifying syndromes.

The six-part special series, Body Bizarre, will air every Monday to Friday at 10 PM starting May 13, 2013 on Discovery Channel. The series covers the anomalies of five Indians from Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

A woman who constantly cries and sweats blood, Indonesia's infamous cigarette-smoking toddler, a little girl who is a human octopus in India, a werewolf girl in Thailand, a 31-year-old woman trapped in the body of a baby, a footless football sensation, a furry monkey girl in China, an Indonesian boy with snake-like skin, a man with a hole in his face, an Ethiopian girl born with an extra body and many more…These are the astonishingly courageous individuals whose predicaments have made them shy away from human contact.

Body Bizarre features stripped down interviews with these individuals, their family, friends and doctors who diagnosis and attempt to treat their rare conditions. Sometimes, they require surgery so intricate and demanding that the odds of survival are stacked against them.

Despite the massive challenges they face, with modern medicine, the dedication of medical teams, the love of their family and friends and, most importantly, their powerful passion for life, these strong individuals push themselves not solely for the purpose of survival, but to shine and inspire as well.

Body Bizarre medical conditions quiz

1. What is the condition that sometimes causes sufferers of strokes or traumatic brain injuries to speak with a different accent?

a)      Maginot tongue disorder

b)      Stockholm syndrome

c)      Foreign accent syndrome

d)      Funny accent syndrome

Answer: Foreign Accent Syndrome is caused by loss of muscle coordination in the tongue that results in altered speech that listeners may perceive as sounding like a familiar foreign accent.

2. Hypertrichosis is also sometimes informally called:

a)      Vampire disorder

b)      Mummy disease

c)      Zombification

d)      Werewolf syndrome

Answer: Hypertrichosis causes over-production of hair anywhere on the body, leading to some to refer to it as "Werewolf syndrome."

3. Fregoli syndrome causes people to believe that complete strangers are in fact:

a)      Famous celebrities

b)      People they know

c)      Aliens

d)      Mirages

Answer: A person with Fregoli syndrome will believe that a stranger is in fact a person known to them who has gained the ability to assume different bodies.

4. Cotard's syndrome is a psychological disorder in which people believe they are:

a)      Immortal

b)      Jesus Christ

c)      Famous

d)      Dead

Answer: Cotard's syndrome manifests itself when someone insists they are, despite all outward appearances and medical opinions, dead.

5. Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) is spread by:

a)      Mosquitoes

b)      Unprotected sex

c)      Word of mouth

d)      Fungus that grows on peanuts

Answer: Elephantiasis is caused by tiny worms that infect human lymphatic systems, and is spread by mosquito from person to person.

Source: www.howstuffworks.com

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BODY BIZARRE

DISEASES YOU MIGHT PROBABLY HAVE NOT HEARD OF

1. Jumping Frenchmen of Maine

This very rare disorder is characterised by an unusually extreme "startle" reaction. It was first identified in the late 1800s among an isolated group of French Canadian lumberjacks. The exact cause of jumping Frenchmen of Maine is unknown. One theory is that the disorder occurs because of an extreme conditioned response to a particular situation influenced by cultural factors.

2. Parry Romberg Syndrome

In this acquired (not inherited) disorder, skin and soft tissues on half of the face begin to shrink (atrophy), leading to a non-symmetrical appearance. Typically, symptoms first appear before age 20, and there is great variation in the degree of severity. The cause of the syndrome – also known as progressive facial hemiatrophy (HFA) – is unknown.

3. Lesch Nyhan Syndrome

This disease is caused by the absence or deficiency of an enzyme. Symptoms include impaired kidney function, joint pain and self-mutilating behaviors such as lip and finger biting and/or head-banging. Additional symptoms may include muscle weakness (hypotonia), uncontrolled muscle movements and neurological impairment. It is also known as hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) deficiency.

4. Cronkhite-Canada Syndrome

Symptoms of this very rare disease include loss of taste, intestinal polyps, hair loss and nail growth problems, and occurs mostly in older people.

5. Dandy-Walker Malformation

This is a brain malformation that occurs during embryonic development of the cerebellum and fourth ventricle. Symptoms may include developmental delay, low muscle tone (hypotonia) or spasticity, and poor coordination and balance. In addition, this disease is sometimes (20-80%) associated with hydrocephalus, in which blockage of the normal flow of spinal fluid leads to excessive amounts of fluid accumulating in and around the brain. This leads to abnormally high pressure within the skull and swelling of the head, and can lead to neurological impairment.

6. Segawa Syndrome

This rare genetic disorder is characterised by an uncoordinated or clumsy manner of walking and dystonia (a general term for a group of muscle disorders characterised by involuntary contractions). Symptoms usually become apparent around six years of age and may be more noticeable in the afternoon or evening than in the morning.

Source: www.howstuffworks.com

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Info@BestMediaInfo.com