

Scientists studying a 17-year-old girl with the body and behaviour of a baby - puredemo
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/genetics/article7120516.ece

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axod
I love the way in these sort of articles they say things like "May hold the
key to aging". As if scientists will suddenly discover some magical formula
that prevents aging and gives everyone everlasting life.

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mike463
It would be lots more interesting to Parents if they said something like "May
hold the key to maturity", where they learn how to stop a 17 year old from
having the behavior of a baby. ;)

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dagobart
A school days friend of mine stopped developing at age ~17. Some very rare
condition. Now he's about fourty and about to out-live his mother. However,
there's no chance he'll ever live on his own.

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Evgeny
Plenty of people live on their own at the age of 17.

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jamesbressi
Saw this a couple years ago and again last year on ABC. Quick video from ABC
special: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpVFWR7ay90>

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sliverstorm
That her development ceased around that of a 1 year old suggests to me she has
not ceased aging, but ceased developing. Either the next step is broken, or
her internal time clock is frozen, but the former seems more likely.

I may be wrong, but I was under the impression aging is different from the
development that happens until our mid twenties, so how can finding what's
stopping her development help us stop aging?

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wisty
It's possible that humans go into "low maintenance mode" as they get old. Old
people sleep less, which may age them more, but also lets them get more stuff
done.

Even if you can stop aging, it won't stop cancer.

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louislouis
Does this mean she will live for a very very long time?

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JeffJenkins
Given her other serious medical conditions, probably not.

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trebor
Because we don't fully understand genetics, it's risky to attempt to "give"
this condition to another human. From what we can understand, a given gene can
control multiple traits. So the "anti-aging"/"anti-development" genes may also
hold those other medical conditions too.

I think that no one in their right mind would accept the therapy if it would
give them one or more irreversible problems.

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PG-13
Is _every_ story on here just something someone saw on Reddit?

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billswift
This story has been kicking around on the web for over a year. I read it over
a year ago (I don't remember where it was linked from) when the girl was 16.

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GFischer
I saw it on Slashdot a year ago:
[http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/06/26/1342215/Doctors-B...](http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/06/26/1342215/Doctors-
Baffled-Intrigued-By-Girl-Who-Doesnt-Age)

