What is encephalitis lethargica and how do you get it?

The causes of encephalitis lethargica are uncertain. Some studies have explored its origins in an autoimmune response, and, separately or in relation to an immune response, links to pathologies of infectious disease – viral and bacterial, e.g., in the case of influenza, where a link with encephalitis is clear.

Is encephalitis lethargica the Spanish flu?

Encephalitis lethargica (von Economo’s encephalitis) was a mysterious epidemic that swept the world from 1917 to 1928 (Vilensky et al., 2006). The epidemic paralleled the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic and some experts believed both were caused by an influenza virus (ARNM, 1921).

What are the early symptoms of encephalitis lethargica?

Some of the symptoms of encephalitis lethargica include:

High fever.
Sore throat.
Headache.
Lethargy.
Double vision.
Delayed responses, both physically and mentally.
Sleep inversion.
Catatonia or unresponsiveness.

What condition did the patients in Awakenings have?

In 1969 levodopa (L-dopa) was hailed as a miracle drug that would cure parkinsonism. Sacks’s book Awakenings is a series of extraordinary case reports describing how patients trapped by parkinsonism were re-awakened by levodopa after decades of stupor and inertia.

Is encephalitis a sleeping disorder?

International classification of sleep disorders. Autoimmune encephalitis-related insomnia (eg, anti-NMDA receptor, anti-Caspr2, and occasionally anti-LGI1 encephalitis), is usually acute and severe, with reduced or absent sleep for days or weeks, and usually associated with hallucinations or abnormal behaviours.

Is encephalitis Lethargica a mental illness?

Encephalitis lethargica is a disease characterized by high fever, headache, double vision, delayed physical and mental response, and lethargy. In acute cases, patients may enter coma.

Can encephalitis last for years?

Survivors of severe cases of encephalitis can be left with permanent problems such as fatigue, irritability, impaired concentration, seizures, hearing loss, memory loss and blindness. The recovery process may take months to even years.

What is treatment for encephalitis lethargica?

Treatment for encephalitis lethargica is symptomatic. Levodopa and other antiparkinson drugs often produce dramatic responses. Treatment for encephalitis lethargica is symptomatic. Levodopa and other antiparkinson drugs often produce dramatic responses.

What are the symptoms of encephalitis?

Headache.
Mild flu-like symptoms (aches, fatigue, slight fever)
Sensitivity to light.
Neck stiffness.
Sleepiness or lethargy.
Increased irritability.
Seizures.
Changes in alertness, confusion, or hallucinations.

What is the most common cause of encephalitis?

Encephalitis is most often due to a virus, such as: herpes simplex viruses, which cause cold sores and genital herpes (this is the most common cause of encephalitis) the varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and shingles. measles, mumps and rubella viruses.

Why does L-DOPA stop working Awakenings?

In a discovery that might turn out to be a game changer in Parkinson’s research, University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers discovered that DNA methylation causes L-DOPA to stop being effective after a few years, instead giving rise to dyskinesia — involuntary jerky movements making life even harder for patients.

Is encephalitis Lethargica still around?

The encephalitis lethargica epidemic of 1916-1930 is estimated to have affected at least half a million of people in Europe and still remains a mystery. The encephalitis lethargica epidemic of 1916-1930 is estimated to have affected at least half a million of people in Europe.

What is the cause of the disease encephalitis?

The majority of viral cases of encephalitis have an unknown cause, however the most common identifiable cause of viral encephalitis is from herpes simplex infection. Other causes of acute viral encephalitis are rabies virus, poliovirus, and measles virus.

What is post viral encephalitis?

Post-Infectious Encephalitis is also a disease condition of central nervous system but it generally occurs as a rare complication of some form of viral illness or as a result of some vaccines. Post-infectious Encephalitis generally develops after a bout of chickenpox , measles, or vaccination against measles.

What are the types of brain infections?

A majority of the times infections in the brain are because of a virus or bacteria, but in some cases parasites and fungi can infect the brain too. Mainly, there are 3 types of brain infections. Brain Abscess. Meningitis. Encephalitis.