The Curious Case of Brooke Greenberg

16-year-old Brooke Greenberg has baffled scientists with her inability to age of being a toddler, perhaps bearing secrets to the process of aging. Scientist and doctors from all over the world are fascinated by the case of a sixteen year old girl who is the size of an infant, and is showing no signs of aging and  growing.

Brooke’s story of survival is extraordinary.  During her first six years of life, she experienced many medical adversities as well as undetermined conditions that puzzled doctors, however she survived all of them and has continued to prosper.  Despite being a toddler in terms of size and development, Brooke is otherwise absolutely normal and in good physical health.  Brooke’s three sisters, ages 22, 19, and 13, are all completely normal children, yet Brooke’s body did not even respond to treatments with human growth hormone. It’s as if she’s immune to aging of any sort.

Brooke weighs just 16 pounds and stands 2 feet, 6 inches tall. She can not speak, however she can convey frustration and happiness.

To attempt to ascertain why Brooke’s aging process has been so irregular, and what it means to the understanding of our genetic makeup, scientists have studied samples of Brooke’s cells and DNA to look for what they think may be a genetic mutation never seen before that has affected the way she ages.

While doctors say she has not grown physically or mentally her mother sees teenage girl behavior stating, “She loves to shop…just like a woman.” When they do hit the stores, with Brooke in a stroller,  other mothers will stop and ask how old Brooke is.  Stating the fact that she is sixteen would be startling and would take a whole lot of explanation so her mum says, “my system has been to turn year into months. So, if someone asked today, I might say, she’s 16 months old.”

“There’ve been very minimal changes in Brooke’s brain,” Dr. Richard Walker of the University of South Florida College of Medicine told ABCnews. “Various parts of her body, rather than all being at the same stage, seem to be disconnected.” Yet, the teenager has never been diagnosed with a genetic syndrome or abnormal chromosomes.

One Response to “The Curious Case of Brooke Greenberg”

1. Debora N says:

   thAmerica/Chicagop31America/Chicago10bAmerica/ChicagoSun, 25 Oct 2009 11:50:40 -0500 1, 2008 at 11:50 am

   it is somthing amaizing