Landon Jones A British teenager who doesn't feel hungry or thirsty. Country: Great Britain

The Unusual Case of Landon Jones

Landon Jones, a British teenager, has not experienced hunger or thirst for over a year. While many children refuse to eat nutritious but bland food, Landon has been avoiding vegetables, soups, ice cream, and pizza for unknown reasons. On October 13, 2013, Landon was just an ordinary child who enjoyed tasty and unhealthy food. However, the next morning, he woke up as a completely different person. He no longer felt hunger or thirst. At first glance, this transformation may seem like a blessing, but Landon's body did not learn to produce the necessary substances on its own – it simply stopped sending signals about its needs.

Unfortunately, this change had a negative impact on Landon. Once an energetic boy who loved riding his bike and playing in the park with friends and his younger brother, he became someone completely different. He could no longer engage in his old activities and suffered from nausea and dizziness almost all day long. Concerned, Landon's parents sought medical help, but their efforts proved futile. They took him to doctors in five different American cities, but none of them could offer any useful advice. One doctor prescribed antibiotics, which had no effect, while others were left puzzled.

Now, representatives from the American National Institutes of Health have taken notice of Landon's case. These institutes typically focus on complex and unconventional situations, making Landon's case fit the bill. Unfortunately, Landon's health continues to deteriorate. In the past year, he has lost almost 16.5 kilograms (36.4 pounds). Despite trying countless methods to spark his interest in food, his parents have been unsuccessful. Currently, Landon rarely forces himself to eat more than a sandwich and a few snacks for lunch.

Landon's 9-year-old younger brother, Bryce, leads a healthy lifestyle, attending school and playing with the family dog. Landon, on the other hand, leads a much less active life, spending most of his time in a state close to lethargy, lying on the couch. He has missed 65 days of school in the past year and can only watch his peers participate in physical education classes from the sidelines. The little food he does eat is consumed only after extensive persuasion from his parents. It is likely that he will soon need to be fed through a special tube.

The exact cause of Landon's drastic change in eating habits remains unknown. The main suspect is his hypothalamus, a part of the brain responsible for controlling temperature, pressure, sleep cycles, hunger, and thirst. What caused this important but relatively small part of his brain to stop functioning is still unclear. Landon's mother blames the treatment he received three years ago for his small epileptic seizures. The medication called "depakote" used during the treatment may have had an impact on his brain, although its common side effects are increased hunger and subsequent weight gain. Dr. Marc Patterson, a pediatric neurologist from one of the clinics that examined Landon, suspects that he may be a true anomaly.