I'm having difficulty falling asleep do I have fatal familial insomnia

Fatal Familial Insomnia

Fatal familial insomnia is a rare genetic condition that causes sleeping difficulties (insomnia), memory loss (dementia) and involuntary muscle twitching. This condition gets worse over time and it’s life-threatening. There’s no cure but treatment temporarily slows the progression of symptoms.

Overview
What is fatal familial insomnia?

Fatal familial insomnia (FFI) is a rare genetic condition that affects your brain and central nervous system. It causes you to have trouble sleeping (insomnia), memory loss (dementia) and muscle twitching. FFI is degenerative, which means symptoms get more severe over time. Symptoms of the condition are life-threatening and there’s no cure. Studies are ongoing to find treatment options to reduce the progression of symptoms and extend the life of people diagnosed with this condition.
Who does fatal familial insomnia affect?

Fatal familial insomnia (FFI) affects people who inherit the gene from one of their biological parents. There’s usually a history of the condition affecting the family since only one copy of the mutated gene is enough to cause symptoms (autosomal dominant).

In extremely rare cases, FFI can occur in people who don’t have a history of the condition in their family. In these cases, the condition happens with a new genetic mutation (de novo).

Symptoms and Causes
What are the symptoms of fatal familial insomnia?

Symptoms of fatal familial insomnia include:

Difficulty sleeping that gets worse over time (progressive insomnia).
Nervous system overactivity including high blood pressure, a faster-than-normal heart rate and anxiety.
Memory loss.
Hallucinations or seeing or thinking that something’s there when it isn’t.
Involuntary muscle twitching or jerking (myoclonus).

Symptoms of fatal familial insomnia (FFI) begin between the ages of 20 and 70. The average onset of symptoms is age 40.

Early symptoms of FFI can look similar to those of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. If you experience symptoms, visit a healthcare provider to receive an accurate diagnosis. As the condition indicates in the name, symptoms can be life-threatening.

What causes fatal familial insomnia?

A mutation or change of the PRNP gene causes fatal familial insomnia (FFI). The PRNP gene is responsible for making the prion protein PrPC. Prion protein PrPC exists in your brain, specifically in the thalamus, which helps regulate body functions like sleep.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/25001-fatal-familial-insomnia

How can I prevent fatal familial insomnia?

You can’t prevent fatal familial insomnia because it’s caused by a genetic mutation that sometimes happens sporadically, without a history of the condition in your family.

Outlook / Prognosis
What can I expect if I have fatal familial insomnia?

There’s no cure for fatal familial insomnia (FFI). After a diagnosis, treatment is symptomatic to make you feel more comfortable, with palliative care. The life expectancy for a person diagnosed with FFI is poor — especially after symptoms start, where the life expectancy ranges from a few months to a couple of years. The condition is progressive, which means it gets worse with time.

Families are encouraged to participate in therapy to discuss care options not only for the person diagnosed with the condition but to emotionally support themselves and prepare for the sudden loss of a loved one.