http://mindhacks.com/2010/04/20/the-youtube-drug-observatory/ Neuroscience and psychology news and views. Mon, 20 May 2013 15:51:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://mindhacks.com/2010/04/20/the-youtube-drug-observatory/#comment-4935 Sat, 24 Apr 2010 12:22:07 +0000 http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/2010/04/20/the-youtube-drug-observatory/#comment-4935 Unfortunately I missed your earlier post about latah, but I wonder if it’s as culturally specific a phenomenon as you suppose. Its manifestations sound uncannily similar to those of the “Jumping Frenchmen of Maine,” whom Alan Bellows wrote about on the web site Damn Interesting:
“Most notably, an event which might startle a normal person will result in an extended, grossly exaggerated response from a “jumper,” including crying out, flailing limbs, twitching, and sometimes convulsions… Another curious abnormality caused by this disorder is a sufferer’s automatic reflex to obey any order that is delivered suddenly. For example, if one uses a sharp, quick voice to order a jumper to throw the object in their hands, they will throw it without hesitation; if they are similarly told to strike a person, they will strike that person, even if it is a loved one….The Jumping Frenchman of Maine Disorder was first described by G. M. Beard in 1878 after observing the effect in French-Canadian lumberjacks in the Moosehead Lake area of Maine.”
The article is available at http://www.damninteresting.com/the-jumping-frenchman-of-maine-disorder. “Stiff baby syndrome,” which apparently is caused by a single genetic mutation, also involves an excessive startle reaction.

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