What is the Stiff-Person Syndrome that has halted Celine Dion's singing career?

Celine Dion is a Canadian singer who has been suffering from Stiff-Person Syndrome for a year now. The 55-year-old has had exceptional success in her career

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She has won five Grammy awards among her many accolades, and achieved worldwide fame and popularity for her song, 'My Heart Will Go On' from the Hollywood blockbuster Titanic.

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It is a progressive and a rare neurological disorder of the axial and proximal limb muscles in which the patient suffers from muscle stiffness and spasms.

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American doctors Frederick Moersch and Henry Woltman first reported the illness in 1956 due to which Stiff-Person Syndrome also came to be known as the Moersch-Woltman Syndrome.

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As per the US National Institute of Health (NIH), Stiff-Person Syndrome affects one in a million and is twice more likely to affect females, with symptoms appearing mostly between the ages of 20 and 60.

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These symptoms generally involve rigidity of muscles in the limbs and the torso region, with recurrent violent spams that can last upto seconds, minutes or in worst cases, even hours.

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Stiff-Person Syndrome is often associated with other autoimmune disorders, thyroid disorder, diabetes and in rare cases, cancer.

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The most common cause is the presence of anti-GAD65 antibodies which block the glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) enzyme. Due to this, it stops the production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter, affecting the central nervous system.

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In December 2022, Celine Dion revealed the news about her disorder. In May this year, she canceled her European Courage World Tour till 2024.

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Although Celine wants to come back to work, her sister Claudette Dion recently told 7 Jours that her condition is still very serious.

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