- 29 Eki 2018
- 2,698
- 566
Jo Cameron, who lives in Scotland, has literally no aches and pains because of a genetic mutation in her body. Scientists are now studying her genes to understand how pain pathways can be turned off in people with chronic conditions.
Jo Cameron only realizes she has been burned when she smells burning skin. She often burns her arms while using the oven, but she feels no pain to alert her.
She feels no real pain or ache, and is unfamiliar with emotions such as fear and anxiety.
Jo, who lives in Scotland, has a type of genetic mutation that only one other person in the world has. Some say she is a medical miracle.
Congenital analgesia
According to an interview with the BBC in 2019, Cameron only knows his skin is burning when he smells or sees it. For him, pain is nothing but an abstract concept.
Cameron's congenital quirk is shared by only a few people in the world.
Called congenital analgesia, it is a one-in-a-million condition that has multiple genetic causes and can be accompanied by other symptoms, such as increased sweating or a lack of sense of smell.
Scientists at University College London (UCL) are now studying this patient's genes to understand how pain pathways can be turned off in those with chronic conditions.
A rare variation called FAAH-OUT
Pain is clearly a useful barometer for damage in the body. Sometimes, though, the signal can get stuck in an overactive state that is no longer useful.
When it lasts more than a few months, it is called chronic pain. Cameron's genes may hold secrets to pain relief.
"By understanding exactly what happens at a molecular level, we can begin to understand the biology involved, and this opens up the possibilities for drug discovery that could one day have far-reaching positive effects for patients," says UCL pain geneticist James Cox.
Cameron's condition is caused by a rare variation in his gene, FAAH-OUT, which was discovered in 2019 by Cox and colleagues at UCL.
It wasn't until he was 65 that Cameron realized how different his life experience was from that of many other people.
The hope now is that the unique secrets of his cells can offer many more people a happier and less painful life.
Jo Cameron only realizes she has been burned when she smells burning skin. She often burns her arms while using the oven, but she feels no pain to alert her.
She feels no real pain or ache, and is unfamiliar with emotions such as fear and anxiety.
Jo, who lives in Scotland, has a type of genetic mutation that only one other person in the world has. Some say she is a medical miracle.
Congenital analgesia
According to an interview with the BBC in 2019, Cameron only knows his skin is burning when he smells or sees it. For him, pain is nothing but an abstract concept.
Cameron's congenital quirk is shared by only a few people in the world.
Called congenital analgesia, it is a one-in-a-million condition that has multiple genetic causes and can be accompanied by other symptoms, such as increased sweating or a lack of sense of smell.
Scientists at University College London (UCL) are now studying this patient's genes to understand how pain pathways can be turned off in those with chronic conditions.
A rare variation called FAAH-OUT
Pain is clearly a useful barometer for damage in the body. Sometimes, though, the signal can get stuck in an overactive state that is no longer useful.
When it lasts more than a few months, it is called chronic pain. Cameron's genes may hold secrets to pain relief.
"By understanding exactly what happens at a molecular level, we can begin to understand the biology involved, and this opens up the possibilities for drug discovery that could one day have far-reaching positive effects for patients," says UCL pain geneticist James Cox.
Cameron's condition is caused by a rare variation in his gene, FAAH-OUT, which was discovered in 2019 by Cox and colleagues at UCL.
It wasn't until he was 65 that Cameron realized how different his life experience was from that of many other people.
The hope now is that the unique secrets of his cells can offer many more people a happier and less painful life.
God bless your hands
