fatal familial insomnia

fatal familial insomnia

noun

Definition of FATAL FAMILIAL INSOMNIA

: a rare fatal prion disease that is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, that is marked by progressive neurodegenerative changes especially in the thalamus, and that tends to follow a clinical course exhibiting disturbances of the sleep cycle, intractable insomnia, motor disturbances (as ataxia and myoclonus), dysautonomia, dementia, coma, stupor, and death