Although it sounds like an interesting new boyband, Jumping Frenchmen of Maine is infact a rather extraordinary disorder. First noticed in Maine, in a region near the Moosehead Lake, the disorder is characterised by an extreme reaction to someone startling them. These individuals respond by jumping, screaming, flailing their limbs and even hitting others or throwing objects.

This strange disorder has been thought to occur due to a type of conditioning when a behaviour is learned due to associations with rewards and punishment. However, this condition has been observed in other parts of the USA as well as across the world. In Louisiana it is known as Rajun Cajuns, Latah in Malaysia and Myriachit in Siberia. It has also been observed in India and Somalia, and in Yemen and the Philippines. This suggests that it could be due to a genetic mutation but the disorder is so rare that more individuals would need to be studied to confirm this theory. 

Does it win genetic disorder with the weirdest name? It’s certainly a contender. 

References:

https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/jumping-frenchmen-of-maine/