Neuropsychology: Neurology and Movie Awakenings
Running head: NEUROPSYCHOLOGY TREATMENTS
Neuropsychology Treatments and Recovery Accuracy on Patience in the movie Awakenings
Corey Allen Chubbs
Bowie State University
Neuropsychology Treatments and Recovery Accuracy in Patience in the movie Awakenings
Introduction
I choose the movie Awakenings, it was not my first choice but because of a prier incident I was forced to watch this movie. The psychological construct portrayed in the movie were neuropsychology treatments. Films that are based on actually events are known for changing certain details and events that occur. On the other hand, Awakenings seems to not comply with this trend. Even though the names of the characters were changed and the method of treatment differed, the movie appeared to depict the disease and the drug used to treat it accurately.
Movie Synopsis The movie Awakenings was based on a 1973 book by a psychiatrist named Oliver Sacks. Awakenings was about Malcolm Sayer, a neurologist played by Robin Williams, who had to work with patients for the first time because of funding problems. Dr. Sayer had a job at Bainbridge Hospital. The hospital was mainly for people that have neurological disorders. Dr. Sayer was in charge of some catatonic patients who seemed to be lifeless and dead on the outside but in the inside were really alive. Once at the hospital he noticed a pattern that most of the patients just have a blank stare and they just seem to be there. Dr. Sayer did a test were he threw a ball at one of the patients and even though they seemed to be lifeless they had enough awareness to catch the ball. After looking around into some of the patients’ files he found out that they are suffering from something called “encephalitis” which involved the crippling of the brain. In Dr. Sayer’s effort to help his patience he tried an experimental drug called “L-dopa” which was used for people with Parkinson 's disease. Dr. Sayer tried the drug on Leonard Lowe (Robert De Niro) first and it
Neuropsychology Treatments and Recovery Accuracy on Patience in the movie Awakenings
Corey Allen Chubbs
Bowie State University
Neuropsychology Treatments and Recovery Accuracy in Patience in the movie Awakenings
Introduction
I choose the movie Awakenings, it was not my first choice but because of a prier incident I was forced to watch this movie. The psychological construct portrayed in the movie were neuropsychology treatments. Films that are based on actually events are known for changing certain details and events that occur. On the other hand, Awakenings seems to not comply with this trend. Even though the names of the characters were changed and the method of treatment differed, the movie appeared to depict the disease and the drug used to treat it accurately.
Movie Synopsis The movie Awakenings was based on a 1973 book by a psychiatrist named Oliver Sacks. Awakenings was about Malcolm Sayer, a neurologist played by Robin Williams, who had to work with patients for the first time because of funding problems. Dr. Sayer had a job at Bainbridge Hospital. The hospital was mainly for people that have neurological disorders. Dr. Sayer was in charge of some catatonic patients who seemed to be lifeless and dead on the outside but in the inside were really alive. Once at the hospital he noticed a pattern that most of the patients just have a blank stare and they just seem to be there. Dr. Sayer did a test were he threw a ball at one of the patients and even though they seemed to be lifeless they had enough awareness to catch the ball. After looking around into some of the patients’ files he found out that they are suffering from something called “encephalitis” which involved the crippling of the brain. In Dr. Sayer’s effort to help his patience he tried an experimental drug called “L-dopa” which was used for people with Parkinson 's disease. Dr. Sayer tried the drug on Leonard Lowe (Robert De Niro) first and it
References: Nelson, L. D., & Adams, K. M. (1997). Psychological Assessment: A Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (Vol. 9, pp. 368-373). from PsycARTICLES. (10.1037/1040-3590.9.4.368.). Benabid AL, Chabardes S, Mitrofanis J, Pollak P. Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus for the treatment of Parkinson 's disease. Lancet Neurol. 2009 Jan;8(1):67-81. NINDS Encephalitis Lethargica Information Page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Website. February 12, 2007 Available at: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/encephalitis_lethargica/encephalitis_lethargica.htm