Sleeping sickness – Encephalitis lethargica
Imagine waking up one day being told that 40 years have passed. For certain patients in the 60s and 70s, were told that very thing after “waking up” from their complete stupor. Those with sleeping sickness are conscious and aware, but not fully awake, they don’t move or speak, they passively register what occurs around them. The term sleeping sickness has been given to 2 different illnesses. There is African sleeping sickness caused by parasites from the tsetse fly and the sleeping sickness caused by an unidentified virus that causes lethargic encephalitis. Both illnesses have similar symptoms or fever, somnolence, headaches and joint pain.
After the first world war a viral epidemic of encephalitis lethargica (EL) occurred in many regions of the world those that survived developed post-encephalitic parkinsonian syndrome. Oliver Sacks in his book, Awakenings, captures the stories of affected patients given levodopa that woke them after being trapped within themselves for 40 plus years. Levodopa’s success was limited, and some patients returned to their previous states, while others were able to live a life ambulating about, a therapy regimen including both the drug and a supportive lifestyle, “Miron V initially had an excellent response, but then became violently unstable. However, when he resumed work at a cobbler’s workshop, his mood stabilised; he became cheerful and continued to be well while taking levodopa.”
Those with encephalitis lethargica had flu-like symptoms. Sacks noted that in many cases, including the majority of those seen had influenza that preceded the EL. No link has been established, and the cause of EL is not clear.
We provide quick and convenient sleep evaluations in your home, in and around the greater Montreal area. We test patients every year for sleep disorders both common and rare.