From OMIMKuru, a fatal neurodegenerative condition, is a human prion disease that primarily affected the Fore linguistic group of the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Kuru was transmitted by the practice of consuming dead relatives as a mark of respect and mourning ('transumption'). The incidence has fallen dramatically since the cessation of cannibalism in the 1950s (summary by Wadsworth et al., 2008).
http://www.omim.org/entry/245300 From MedlinePlus GeneticsPrion disease represents a group of conditions that affect the nervous system in humans and animals. In people, these conditions impair brain function, causing changes in memory, personality, and behavior; a decline in intellectual function (dementia); and abnormal movements, particularly difficulty with coordinating movements (ataxia). The signs and symptoms of prion disease typically begin in adulthood and worsen with time, leading to death within a few months to several years.
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/prion-disease