slow the progression of the disease. Therapies and medication are aimed at treating or slowing down the effects of the symptoms. The goal of these treatments is to try to improve the patient's quality of life as much as possible. There is some ongoing research to find a cure, with one of the most prominent examples being the PRN100 monoclonal antibody. Prognosis GSS is a disease that progresses slowly, lasting roughly 2–10 years, with an average of approximately five years. The disease ultimately results in death, most commonly from the patient either going into a coma, or from a secondary infection due to the patient's loss of bodily functions. Research Prion diseases, also called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), are neurodegenerative diseases of the brain thought to be caused by a protein that converts to an abnormal form called a prion. GSS is a very rare TSE, making its genetic origin nearly impossible to determine. It is also challenging to find any patients with GSS, as the disease tends to be underreported, due to its clinical similarity to other diseases, and has been found in only a few countries. In 1989, the first mutation of the prion protein gene was identified in a GSS family. The largest of these families affected by GSS is the Indiana Kindred, spanning over 8 generations, and includes over 3,000 people, with 57 individuals known to be affected. GSS was later realized to have many different gene mutation types, varying in symptom severity, timing and progression. Doctors in different parts of the world are in the process of uncovering more generations and families who have the mutation. Notes External links Gerstmann–Sträussler–Scheinker syndrome, MedicineNet.com Rare syndromes Syndromes affecting the nervous system Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies