You’d think most mothers would have seen and done enough horrible things in the process of raising children to be fairly fearless, especially with multiple children. SM, a 44-year-old mother of three, is a woman with no fear. Literally, she cannot feel fear. It’s not because of how she’s lived her life or what she’s gone through as a parent, it’s because of a genetic disorder. SM has a genetic condition called lipoid proteinosis, which has left her with holes in the amygdala of her brain.
According to researchers lead by neurpsychologist Justin Feinstein at the University of Iowa, SM cannot feel fear no matter what the situation. When taken to a pet store and told the dangers of exotic animals, SM loved petting the snake and had to be coaxed not to reach out and touch a giant spider. When taken to a haunted house, she scared the employees when she would reach out to examine the texture of their horror masks.
Even when a knife-wielding mugger assaulted her, SM had no fear response. In 1995, a man pulled a knife and held it to SM’s throat as she walked through the park. She told the mugger, “If you’re going to kill me, you’re going to have to go through my God’s angels first,” and walked away. She even went back to the park the next day! Apparently, her condition actually makes her unable to tell when a situation is safe or not, so she puts herself in danger needlessly on a routine basis.
Said Dr. Feinstein, “It is quite remarkable that she is still alive.”
Tags: fearless woman, Current Biology, SM, mother of three has no fear, the fear center of the brain, lipoid proteinosis, amygdala, woman with holes in her brain feels no fear, unusual medical news, fear and the brain, woman feels no fear, PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, University of Iowa, Justin Feinstein