What is Stiff Person Syndrome— and how Common is it?

Even though scientists don’t yet know the cause of stiff person syndrome, they do know that being startled or going through emotional distress can trigger its symptoms.

Some clues, however, do exist. A latent onset in adulthood of type 1 diabetes, which typically occurs in children or young adults, can occur alongside stiff person syndrome because instead of just impacting the neurotransmitter, cells in the pancreas are actually destroyed, according to Claire Riley, MD, a professor of neurology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. [read more]

Source: National Geographic
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