What is jumping Frenchmen of Maine?
The Jumping Frenchmen of Maine is a rare and unusual disorder that was first identified in the late 1800s among a group of French-Canadian lumberjacks in the Moosehead Lake region of Maine. It is characterised by an exaggerated startle reflex and a range of other symptoms such as:


* Muscle spasms
* Echolalia (repeating the words of others)
* Automatic obedience (involuntarily carrying out commands). 

 The name derives from the distinctive jump that those affected exhibit when startled. The exact cause of the disorder is not known, but it is thought to be a type of neurological condition that is related to other similar conditions such as Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders.