Encephalitis lethargica: clinical features and aetiology.

ABSTRACT: Encephalitis lethargica, an epidemic neurological illness, typically involved a severe sleep disorder and progressive parkinsonism. A century later, our understanding relies on seminal descriptions, more recent historical research and the study of small numbers of possible sporadic cases. Theories around infection, environmental toxins, catatonia and autoimmune encephalitis have been proposed. We aimed to describe the presentation of encephalitis lethargica and test these diagnostic and aetiological theories. Subjects with encephalitis lethargica were identified in the archives of the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UK between 1918 and 1946. Case notes were examined to establish illness temporality, clinical features and cerebrospinal fluid results. Controls from the arch

SUBMITTER: Rogers JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11495101 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature