Last Chance to Vote in the Neuro Film Festival

Public voting in the 2012 Neuro Film Festival closes today, March 8, 2012. The contest includes 105 entries, available for viewing on a YouTube channel. Some videos cover well-known neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and dementia.

Other entries feature lesser-known disorders such as Central Pain Syndrome (CPS), the worst possible pain with no relief in sight. A Message from Hell educates the public about the immense suffering experienced by patients with CPS and encourages researchers to study this neurological condition. "Doesn't every pharmaceutical company want to find a disease that isn't fatal and requires constant medication to control?"

Thus far, The Neurocritic has featured Aphasia Speaks and Sister Rose - My Brain Story. Channel N has covered Everything Moves and Could You Pick Me Out of a Crowd. Here are two more entries for your consideration.




The Experimental Man

While brushing his teeth, a 47 year old man suffered a carotid artery dissection that caused a major stroke in his right hemisphere, leaving his left side mostly paralyzed. He describes some bizarre theories and hallucinations he experienced while hospitalized. Foremost among these was a nurse with a hemicraniectomy who was thought to be the granddaughter of Eva Braun. The images accompanying this story are definitely worth the 3:39 total viewing time. He also describes the (real) procedures involved in supercooling his blood. He is currently participating in a study with an electrical stimulation device to improve his ability to walk.





Sometimes There Can Be More Than 1 (No Walk In The Park)

Dia DiCristino was well on her way to becoming a successful opera singer when she was struck by bad health. In fact the same week she was due to sing for a very prestigious opera company's mangers, she suddenly was scheduled to have life saving brain surgery. One brain surgery turned into over 25 neurological procedures and an endless stream of medical problems that forced her to retire at only 26 years of age from her opera career.

DiCristino had an arachnoid cyst that caused hydrocephalus, or an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that compressed her brain. The "More Than 1" neurological problem included palinopsia, dysphasia, aphasia, spasticity, chronic headaches, startle myoclonus, seizures, sleep apnea and more. Despite all this, the very talented DiCristino wrote and performed the music featured in this video.