Nöroloji Tarihinden History of Neurology Prof

Nöroloji Tarihinden History of Neurology Prof. Dr. Dursun Kırbaş1, Dr.Buğra Çetin2 1Erenköy Training and Research Hospital for Mental Disorders, Department of Neurology, İstanbul, Turkey Neurology and Cinema ²Erenköy Training and Research Hospital for Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry,stanbul, Turkey SUMMARY Neurological diseases are the subject of art due to its effect on daily life, interpersonel relationships and social life. In this article we look into relationship between neurology and cinema by reviewing Turkish and world cinema. Keywords: Neurology, cinema, art

ÖZET Nörolojik hastalıklar kişilerin günlük yaşamında, diğer kişiler ile olan ilişkilerinde ve toplumsal alandaki kuvvetli etkileri nedeniyle sıklıkla çeşitli sanat alanlarında işlenmektedir. Bu makalede sinema ve nöroloji ilişkisi ele alınmış olup, filmlere konu olan nörolojik hastalıklar Türk ve dünya sinemasından örneklerle gözden geçirilmiştir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Nöroloji, sinema, sanat

Introduction Cast: Onur Ünsal, Derya Alabora and Tsilla Chelton In the past, the characters in the Turkish movies were Synopsis: The movie is about three either diagnosed with brain tumors based on a cranial x-ray siblings who travel to a small village without any neurological consultation and given a month in the western Blacksea region where they mother lives. As their personal and to live or they would be given made-up disorders without interpersonal problems begin to surface, basing their symptoms on an existing disease. This naturally the three siblings begin to question their would leave the audience unsatisfied. Today, we see that own lives in the company of their mother the issue is approached more carefully in the World as well who has Alzheimer’s disease (AD). as Turkish cinema and that the contemporary examples Evim Sensin possess striking scientific realism. Director: Özcan Deniz The relationship between psychiatry and cinema allured world cinema with its richness and depth for a long Cast: Özcan Deniz, Gizem Denizli and Fahriye Evcen time. There have been numerous masterpieces, countless Synopsis: Turkish adaptation of the Korean movie A articles and books. Psychiatrists even used this relationship Moment to Remember. between cinema and psychiatry for therapeutic purposes 2- Epilepsy (1). Bal (“Honey”, 2010) Despite the shallow breadth of the neurology in the Director: Semih Kaplanoğlu history of cinema, we recently witnessed an upsurge of Cast: Bora Atlus, Erdal Beşikçioğlu several masterpieces in the world and Turkish cinema. and Tülin Özen Screenwriters have been taking the matters more seriously Synopsis: About the difficulties that and the directors have been doing their homeworks. For Yusuf and his father who has epilepsy instance, in the movie Bal (“Honey”, 2010) (director: Semih experience. Kaplanoğlu), the lead actor’s performance in the epileptic 3- Cerebral Palsy seizure scene was indistinguishable from the real thing. Gülüm (2003) In this article we review neurology-themed movies Director: Zeki Ökten grouped under their neurological disease categories, Cast: Tarık Akan, Okan Bayülgen, İdil starting from domestic productions and continuing on to Fırat and Kıvanç Yeniay the global cinema. Synopsis: In this movie Kıvanç Yeniay Neurology and the Turkish Cinema who has cerebral palsy plays the role of a grandson who 1- Alzheimer’s Disease has a neurological impairment. In a way, he plays his own Pandora’s Box(2008) life.

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Neurology and the World The Savages (2007) Cinema Director: Tamara Jenkins 1- Alzheimer’s Disease Cast: Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Philip Aurora Borealis (2005) Bosco Director: James C.E. Burke Synopsis: The story of siblings who Cast: Joshua Jackson, Donald have to face their familial responsibilities Sutherland and Juliette Lewis during they look after their father with AD. Synopsis: The love affair between a young man who moved to a new A Moment To Remember (2004) city in order to look after his Alzheimer’s patient grandfather Director: John H. Lee and his young caretaker. Cast: Woo-sung Jung, Ye-jin Son and Away From Her (2006) Jong-hak Baek Director: Sarah Polley Synopsis: A Korean movie about two young people Cast: Julie Christie, Michael falling in love and the girl getting diagnosed with AD. Murphy, Gordon Pinsent A Song For Martin (2001) Synopsis: Fiona and Grant have Director: Bille August been married happily for 40 years. Cast: Sven Wollter, Viveka Seldahl and Reine Brynolfsson Fiona gets diagnosed with AD and Synopsis: A Swedish movie about the changes of the leaves the house one day and never lives in Martin the composer and Barbara the violinist when returns. When she was found, it is Martin is diagnosed with AD. decided that the best course of action Firefly Dreams (2001) is to get her into a care facility for dementia. When Grant visits her after Director: John Williams 30 days, he sees that she forgot him Cast: Maho, Tsutomu Niwa and Etsuko Kimata and fell in love with another man. Synopsis: A Japanese movie about the relationship Iris (2001) between a troubled teenager Naomi and her elderly Director: Richard Eyre neighbor woman with AD whom she cares for. Cast: Judi Dench, Jim Broadbent and Kate Winslet Age Old Friends (1989) Synopsis: The love story of the author and scholar Director: Allan Kroeker Iris Murdoch and her wife John Bayley starting from their Oyucular: Aaron Alexander, Frummie Blatt and Hume school years and continuing onto the years where she Cronyn struggles with AD. Synopsis: John Cooper decides to stay in a nursing home instead of living with his daughter but his daughter The Notebook (2004) soon asks him to move in with him again. John Cooper has Director: Nick Cassavetes to decide between staying with his friend with dementia in the nursing home and living with his daughter. Cast: Gena Rowlands, James Garner and Rachel 2- Epilepsy McAdams A Fighting Choice (1986) Synopsis: The story of Director: Ferdinand Fairfax a man who tells to his wife Cast: Patrick Dempsey, Beau Bridges and Karen living in an Alzheimer care Valentine facility their love stories Synopsis: A story about the legal battles between an through a notebook. epileptic young man in order to receive an experimental surgical operation to cure his Grand Mal episodes and his family who does not allow it.

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A Matter of Life and Death Stairway to Heaven (1946) order to help her daughter who has epilepsy. Directorler: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger 3- Neuromuscular Disorders Cast: David Niven, Kim Hunter and Robert Coote Darius Goes West (2007) Synopsis: A story about a fighter pilot who has temporal Director: Logan Smalley lobe epilepsy. Cast: Darius Weems, Andrew Carson and Daniel Epting Cleopatra (1963) Synopsis: The story of a Duchenne muscular dystrophy Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz patient Darius when he leaves home for the first time with Cast: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Rex Harrison 11 of his friends and travels in the USA to participate in Synopsis: The movie tells the victories and the tragedies MTV’s Pimp My Ride to get his wheelchair pimped up. of Cleopatra. Caesar’s epilepsy is an integral part of his Extraordinary Measures (2010) character and the plot. Director: Tom Vaughan Requiem (2006) Cast: Brendan Fraser, Keri Russel and Harrison Ford Director: Hans Christian Schmid Synopsis: A couple’s struggle for the treatment of their Cast: Sandra Hüller, Burghart Klausner and Imogen child who is diagnosed with Pompe disease Kogge Lorenzo’s Oil (1992) Synopsis: When the epileptic heroine Michaela starts Director: George Miller losing her faith in god, the exorcism rituals begin to get rid Cast: Nick Nolte, Susan Sarandon and Peter Ustinov of the demons that possessed her. Synopsis: A father who learns everything about The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) adrenoleukodystrophy just to be able to help his kid who is Director: Scott Derrickson diagnosed with this disease. Cast: Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson My Left Foot (1989) and Shohreh Aghdashloo Director: Jim Sheridan Synopsis: The events after a Cast: Daniel Day Lewis, Brenda Fricker and Alison lawyer takes on the neglected case Whelan of a girl and her exorcist priest. Synopsis: Christy Brown who has cerebral palsy learns First Do No Harm (1997) to paint pictures and write with her left foot, which is the Director: Jim Abrahams only limb she has any control over. Cast: Meryl Streep, Fred Ward 4-Migren and Seth Adkins Lily’s Mom (2011) Synopsis: The story of a mother who searches for Director: Edmund Messina alternative treatment methods for her epileptic son who Cast: Kimberly Harsch, Connie Cowper and Jessica gets progressively worse. Butler The Exploding Girl (2009) Synopsis: The movie written and Director: Bradley Rust Gray directed by Dr Edmund Messina who Cast: Zoe Kazan, Mark Rendall and Maryann Urbano is a headache specialist tells the stories Synopsis: The story of an epileptic girl who gets caught of daily life and relationship struggles in between her boyfriend and her childhood friend with of people who suffer from serious whom she used to spend her summers with. headaches. Fight For Life (1987) That Beatiful Somewhere (2006) Director: Elliot Silverstein Director: Robert Budreau Cast: Jerry Lewis, Morgan Freeman and Jaclyn-Rose Cast: Roy Dupuis, Jane McGregor Lester and Gordon Tootoosis Synopsis: The struggle of a father to get a drug that is Synopsis: An archeologist with migraine uncovers the only available in the UK approved in the USA by the FDA in secrets of a murder with the help of a private investigator.

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5- Motor Neuron Disease Flanery Hawking (2004) Synopsis: The story of a woman Director: Philip Martin with MS, her enamored student and her professor husband. Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Brandon and Tom Hodgkins Go Now (1995) Synopsis: A movie about Stephen Hawking who has Director: Michael Winterbottom ALS. Cast: Robert Carlyle, Juliet Aubrey Hugo Pool (1997) and James Nesbitt Director: Robert Downey Sr. Synopsis: A young Scottish football Cast: Alyssa Milano, Mark Boone player Nick gets diagnosed with MS and Junior and Malcolm McDowell his relationship with Karen undergoes some changes. Synopsis: In this romantic Hillary and Jackie (1998) comedy, a pool-cleaner woman Director: Anand Tucker woman falls in love with a young Cast: Emily Watson, Rachel Griffiths and James Frain man with ALS. Synopsis: The story of two classical musician sisters So Much, So Fast (2006) Hilary du Pre and Jacqueline du Pre’nin (diagnosed with Directorler: Steven Ascher, MS). Jeanne Jordan Medrana (2004) Cast: Jesse Abbott Dallamora, Director: Lucia Herrera, Juan Luis Ruiz Robert Bonazoli and Tyler Di Vittorio Cast: Jesus Ignacio Diaz, Lucia Herrera and Luis Herrera Synopsis: The relationship Synopsis: The struggles of a Spanish man fighting with between a man with ALS, the MS. woman who is in love with him and Freak City (1999) his brother who is obsessed with finding him a cure. Director: Lynne Littman The Pride Of The Yankees (1942) Cast: Samantha Mathis, Natalie Cole and Marlee Matlin Director: Sam Wood Synopsis: A young woman is Cast: Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright and Babe Ruth admitted to a care facility following the Synopsis: The life and career of the famous baseball MS diagnosis. The movie tells the story player Lou Gehrig. of the hardship that she and the other 6- Multiple Sclerosis patients experience. Dreamland (2006) 7- Parkinsonism Director: Jason Matzner Awakenings (1990) Cast: Agnes Brückner, Kelli Garner and Justin Long Director: Penny Marshall Synopsis: A love triangle involving a young woman with Cast: Robert De Niro, Robin Williams and Julie Kavner MS. Synopsis: An adaptation of Dr. Oliver Sacks’ book Duet For One (1986) with the same name, the movie is about a doctor’s use Director: Andrey Konchalovskiy of levodopa in postencephalitic parkinsonism patients, Cast: Julie Andrews, Alan Bates and Max Von Sydow parkinsonism symptoms and the clinical effects of levodopa. Synopsis: the story of cellist Jacqueline Mary du Pre Love and Other Drugs (2010) who has MS. Director: Edward Zwick Eden (1996) Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway and Judy Greer Director: Howard Goldberg Synopsis: The story of a young woman with Parkinson Cast: Joanna Going, Dylan Walsh and Sean Patrick and a pharmaceutical representative.

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Saving Milly (2005) Cast: Jean Louis Trintignant, Director: Dan Curtis Emmanuella Riva and Isabella Huppert Cast: Bruce Greenwood, Synopsis: The story of the loving care Madeleine Stowe and Robert Wisden that an elderly pianist man gives to his Synopsis: An adaptation from wife after her stroke and her emotional a biography of the political activist difficulties in coming to terms with this. Milly Kondrake. The subject is the dramatic changes in Milly’s life after her diagnosis. 8- Stroke 9- Amnesia The Diving Bell and The Memento (2000) Butterfly (2007) Director: Christopher Nolan Director: Julian Schnabel Cast: Guy Pearce, Carie Anne Cast: Mathieu Amalric, Moss and Joe Pantoliano Emmanuelle Seigner and Marie Josee Croze Synopsis: A man acquires anterograde amnesia after a trauma. Synopsis: Based on the life His only way of going after his wife’s story of Elle magazine editor Jean killer is to tattoo the information he Dominique Bauby. His body is completely paralyzed after a stroke, needs on his body so that he we except for his left eye. would remember them later on. The Patricia Neal Story (1981) The Music Never Stopped (2011) Director: Anthony Harvey and Anthony Director: Jim Kohlberg Page Cast: Lou Taylor Pucci, J.K. Simmons and Julia Ormond Cast: Glenda Jackson, Dirk Bogarde Synopsis: An adaptation of Dr. Oliver Sacks’ story “The and Ken Kercheval Last Hippie”. It tells the story of a father and his son who Synopsis: The painful healing process became amnesiac because of a brain tumor. of the actress Patricia Neal following a 10- Other stroke and her author husband Roald The Sea Inside (2004) Dahl. Director: Alejandro Amenabar Cast: Javier Bardem, Belen Rueda and Lola Duenas Volcano (2011) Synopsis: Based on the true story of Sempedro. It Director: Runar Runarsson tells the story of Ramon who becomes quadriplegic after Cast: Theodor Juliusson, Torstein breaking his cervical spine when he jumped in the sea. He Bachmann and Margret Helga fights to exercise his right for euthanasia. Johansdottir My Own Private Idaho (1991) Synopsis: The Director: Gus Van Sant estranged father and husband Cast: River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves Hannes returns to his family after and James Russo years of separation and his wife has Synopsis: The movie is a modern a stroke. day adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV and tells the story of two drug Amour (2012) addicts living on the streets. One of these characters is narcoleptic and he Director: Michael Haneke frequently experiences sleep attacks.

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Concluding Remarks (2000) Shelby (Guy Pearce) has some sort of a memory Despite the limitations in the Turkish cinema, global problem in which he can only remember the times right cinema is incredibly rich on this matter. Neurological before his wife was murdered and a few minutes after. diseases are recurrent topics in the literature as well. This character was inspired from one of Henry Molaison’s The adaptations of these written works have also been cases where the patient acquires anterograde amnesia fruitful for cinema. Especially the movies adapted from following the bilateral anterior temporal lobe resection well-known neurology experts like Oliver Sacks possess including hippocampus.” (4). scientific rigor and human connection rather than a “Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) which is a type sterile case study approach, which fosters an increased of motor neuron disease is also known as Lou Gehrig’s sensitivity in the audience to the subject matter. disease. The legendary Yankees player Lou Gehrig was “Epilepsy’s role in the movie was questioned by diagnosed with this disease and this had become the Baxendale. Dostoyevski’s novels The Brothers Karamazov subject of A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig and The Idiot also involves epileptic characters. In Shakespeare’s Othello, Othello also experiences epileptic Story” (4). seizures” (3, 4). As mentioned above, many neurological disease have It is known that the famous 19th Century neurologist been the topic of the world and Turkish cinema. The Charcot referred to Shakespeare’s famous characters as increasing exposure of the neurological diseases in the case examples in the courses he taught in Paris Salpetriere public eye makes it easier to fight the stigmatization that Hospital. (5). is ever so common for these diseases, therefore making “X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy would remain the lives of patients a little easier. These movies facilitate unseen for most neurologist if they have not seen empathy towards the afflicted individuals and build a Lorenzo’s Oil (1992). This movie is about Odone family’s collective consciousness around the disease, helping attempt at developing a cure for this rare condition. neurologist to think more at the level of “humans” instead Lorenzo’s oil was seen to lower the hexacosanoic acid of “cases”. levels, resulting in normal MRI results and asymptomatic References children in the follow-up.” (4) 1. Bilici M. Psikiyatride Sinema Sinemada Psikiyatri. 1.baskı. İstanbul:Erenköy In the movie Amour (2012) by the famous director Ruh ve Sinir Hastalıkları Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Yayınları, 2010. Haneke, the scene showing how to change the diapers of 2. Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Erişim tarihi: 02 Temmuz 2013 Available an hemiplegic patient makes the movie worth watching from : www.imdb.com. on its own account. The scenes about aphasia and 3. Kirbas D. Epilepsi ve Sanat. Turkiye Klinikleri J Neurol-Special Topics 2012;5 (1): 138-46. cognitive rehabilitation can teach a lot to a neurologist. 4. Ford SF, Larner AJ. Neurology at the movies. Adv Clin Neurosci Rehabil There are many movies involving the cognitive decline 2009;9(4): 48-49. associated with Alzheimer’s Disease. “In Memento 5. Rose FC. Sanat ve nöroloji. 1.baskı. İstanbul:Imperial College Press, 2006.

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