Hutchinson-Gilford Progenia Syndrome (HGPS)

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Progeria, also known as Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) is an extremely rare genetic disorder where symptoms resembling aspects of aging are displayed at a very early age (Progeria 101). A genetic disease is an illness caused by one or more abnormalities in the genome, especially a condition that is congenital (present from birth). Genetic diseases are rare and may or may not be heritable. There are thousands of extremely rare genetic diseases, one being Progeria. Progeria affects its victims and their families more than physically; it takes a toll on the mental and emotional state of mind.
Progeria has many symptoms. Some of these are visible; however, some are less distinctive. Children with Progeria have normal intellectual and emotional development, as well as the development of motor skills such as sitting, standing and walking. This is because the brain and nervous system are completely unaffected (Diseases). However, the children have a failure to grow normally. They usually only grow to three-and-a-half feet tall, at most. Some Progeria symptoms develop very early on in the child’s life, such as a pinched nose, small face and jaw relative to head size, prominent eyes, visible veins, and a high-pitched voice. Other symptoms appear later in the child’s life and then remain, such as hair loss—also known as alopecia, loss of body fat, joint stiffness, aged-skin, osteoarthritis—degeneration of joint cartilage, and cardiac problems (Progeria). All of these symptoms are serious in the context of the child’s age; however, the most severe is the cardiac problem. This is what unfortunately leads to death in the child by causing a heart attack or stroke.
Atherosclerosis, which is hardening of the arteries, is the main ...

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... the process of aging in general as well as new treatments for aging-related diseases like heart attack, stroke and dementia.

Works Citied
“Biology of Progeria.” Progeria Syndrome. 2012. Web. 7 May 2014.
“The Connection to Other Diseases.” Progeria Research Foundation. 2014. Web. 6 May 2014.
“Diseases and Conditions – Progeria.” Mayo Clinic. 23 Apr. 2011. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
“Foxborough’s Sam Berns Dies of Progeria.” The Metrowest Daily News. 11 Jan. 2014. Web. 5
May 2014.
“Learning About Progeria.” National Human Genome Research Institute. 27 Dec. 2013. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
“Progeria 101 / FAQ.” Progeria Research Foundation. 2014. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
“Progeria.” Right Diagnosis. 21 Mar. 2014. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
“Symptoms and Diagnosis.” Progeria Family Circle. May 2006. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
“What is Progeria.” Medical News Today. 13 May 2009. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.

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