What is brain on fire my month of madness about?
A Young Reporter Recounts Her Descent Into Madness In her memoir, Susannah Cahalan writes about the month she descended into madness, experiencing seizures, paranoia, psychosis and catatonia.
What mental illness is in Brain on Fire?
Cahalan was the 217th person to be diagnosed with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis. “I’m the lucky one,” Moretz narrates as the movie comes to a close.
What’s wrong with the girl in Brain on Fire?
Instead, as she recounted in “Brain on Fire,” her best-selling 2012 memoir about her ordeal, she was eventually found to have a rare — or at least newly discovered — neurological disease: anti-NMDA-receptor autoimmune encephalitis. In plain English, Cahalan’s body was attacking her brain.
Is Brain on Fire a good book?
It’s indisputable that Cahalan is a gifted reporter, and Brain on Fire is a stunningly brave book. But even more than that, she’s a naturally talented prose stylist — whip-smart but always unpretentious — and it’s nearly impossible to stop reading her, even in the book’s most painful passages.
How was Susannah Cahalan treated?
Cahalan slowly recovers after undergoing immunomodulatory therapies (steroids, IVIG treatment, and plasmapheresis) in the hospital for a month, plus six months of outpatient follow-up.
Where is Susannah Cahalan now?
New York
Today, nearly a decade later, Cahalan still lives in New York and still works for the Post, having published her most recent article for the paper on June 16, writing about her experience of seeing a harrowing time in her life turned into a movie.
Why does it feel like my brain is on fire?
These conditions are signs of possible brain inflammation, a brain “on fire.” Unlike most of the body, the brain does not produce pain when inflamed. Instead, one of the most common symptoms is brain fog, which makes people feel spaced out and disconnected. Brain inflammation slows down the conduction between neurons.
How common is anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis?
The estimated number of cases of the disease is 1.5 per million people per year. The condition is relatively common compared to other paraneoplastic disorders. About 80% of those affected are female. It typically occurs in adults younger than 45 years old, but it can occur at any age.
What causes brain on fire disease?
Summary: A rare autoimmune disorder popularized by the autobiography and movie “Brain on Fire” is triggered by an attack on NMDA receptors. The disease occurs when antibodies attack NMDA receptors in the brain, leading to memory loss, intellectual changes, seizures, and death.
What symptoms did Susannah Cahalan have?
She was diagnosed with anti-NMDA-receptor encephalitis—a rare neurological condition that can cause psychiatric symptoms, including psychosis and hallucinations. Discovered just two years before Cahalan’s diagnosis, the disease was only beginning to gain wider clinical awareness.
What does Susannah Cahalan do now?
Today, nearly a decade later, Cahalan still lives in New York and still works for the Post, having published her most recent article for the paper on June 16, writing about her experience of seeing a harrowing time in her life turned into a movie.
What was Susannah Cahalan diagnosed with?
What makes brain on fire my month of Madness?
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness [Excerpt] But the most remarkable finding was that all four patients had similar antibodies that appeared to be reacting against specific areas of the brain, mainly the hippocampus. Something about the combination of the tumor and the antibodies was making these women very sick.
Do you need to read Brain on fire?
“Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness” should be “Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness” should be required reading for everyone in the health care profession- especially neurologists.
What was the book Brain on fire about?
“A fascinating look at the disease that…could have cost this vibrant, vital young woman her life” ( People ), Brain on Fire is an unforgettable exploration of memory and identity, faith and love, and a profoundly compelling tale of survival and perseverance that is destined to become a classic.
Is the brain on fire by Susannah Cahalan required reading?
Susannah Cahalan’s book should be required reading for every med school student, clinical psych major and any other front line profession (like teachers) who may encounter – not just NDMA-receptor autoimmune encephalitis – but any other rare disease that defies accurate diagnosis and treatment.
