encephalitis lethargica

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encephalitis lethargica

A patient with encephalitis lethargica lies in a hospital bed.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A specific type of encephalitis: "Encephalitis lethargica" is a medical term for a unique form of brain inflammation that was epidemic in the early 20th century. Its key characteristics include profound sleepiness (lethargy), paralysis of the muscles controlling eye movement, and severe muscular weakness.
Examples of Usage
  • Noun:
    • The patient was diagnosed with encephalitis lethargica, exhibiting the classic symptoms of ocular paralysis and overwhelming lethargy.
    • Historical records from the 1920s describe the devastating impact of the encephalitis lethargica epidemic.
Advanced Usage
  • In medical history: The term is often used in historical and medical contexts to describe the specific pandemic that occurred between approximately 1915 and 1926.
    • The study focused on the long-term neurological sequelae in survivors of encephalitis lethargica.
Variants and Related Words
  • Lethargic encephalitis: An alternative name for the same condition.
    • Lethargic encephalitis is another term found in older medical literature.
  • Sleeping sickness (Note): This is a related but distinct term. In English, "sleeping sickness" typically refers to African trypanosomiasis, a parasitic disease. "Encephalitis lethargica" is sometimes informally called "sleepy sickness" to distinguish it, but this is not a standard medical term.
    • It is important not to confuse encephalitis lethargica with African sleeping sickness.
Synonyms
  • Epidemic encephalitis: A synonym emphasizing its widespread, epidemic nature.
  • Von Economo's disease: A synonym named after the physician who described it.
Related Phrases
  • Post-encephalitic parkinsonism: A frequent long-term consequence of encephalitis lethargica, where patients develop Parkinson's disease-like symptoms.
    • Many survivors of encephalitis lethargica later suffered from post-encephalitic parkinsonism.
encephalitis lethargica

A patient with encephalitis lethargica lies in a hospital bed.

Noun
  1. an encephalitis that was epidemic between 1915 and 1926; symptoms include paralysis of the extrinsic eye muscle and extreme muscular weakness

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