The World's Best Book Summaries
What are the Brain on Fire themes that you need to know? How do these themes reflect Susannah Cahalan’s journey? The Brain on Fire themes are positivity, loyalty, fear, and memory. Each reflects an important component of the story. Read more about the key Brain on Fire themes that are essential to understanding the book.
How did doctors finally reach a diagnosis in Brain on Fire? What was the Brain on Fire diagnosis? The Brain on Fire diagnosis was anti-NMDA-receptor encephalitis. After many tests, including a brain biopsy, doctors were able to give Susannah Cahalan an answer. Read more about the Brain on Fire diagnosis and how doctors got there.
Who is Dr. Shem Musoke? Did Dr. Musoke contract Ebola? Dr. Shem Musoke was a doctor at a hospital in Nairobi, and treated Ebola patient Charles Monet. Dr. Shem Musoke later became ill with the virus, and made a full recovery. Keep reading to find out how Dr. Shem Musoke contracted the virus, and how he survived it.
Do you know how to read food labels? What should you be looking for in a list of nutrition facts? Food labels are important sources of information, but you need to know what to look for. If you know how to read food labels, you can make better choices. Read on to learn how to read food labels and what ingredients should be red flags.
How is Ebola transmitted? Are there cases that show how Ebola spreads? Scientists are still try to answer the question “how is Ebola transmitted?” Different strains have different methods of transmission, and it’s possible that the virus can adapt to transmit differently. Read more about how Ebola is transmitted, and one case where Ebola was transmitted rapidly.
What does it mean when you are seeing things that are not there? What happened when Susannah Cahalan started having visual hallucinations in Brain on Fire? Seeing things that are not there was a common experience for Susannah as she developed anti-NMDA-receptor encephalitis. She had a variety of visual and auditory hallucinations. Read more about how and why Susannah experienced seeing things that are not there.
What is the anti NMDA receptor encephalitis clock test? How did it help diagnose Susannah Cahalan? The anti NMDA receptor encephalitis clock test is used to diagnose the condition. Patients can’t properly draw a clock face due to the inflammation in their brains. Read about the use of the anti NMDA receptor encephalitis clock test and how it helped diagnose Susannah Cahalan.
What was the Ebola outbreak of 1976? How did it start and how was it contained? The Ebola outbreak of 1976 was actually two outbreaks, one of Ebola Sudan, and one of Ebola Zaire. Though the virus spread through the community and hospital, the virus ended when the government enforced a strict quarantine. Keep reading to find out more about the Ebola outbreak of 1976.
What is pseudopsychosis? How does it differ from true psychosis? Pseudopsychosis is a symptom of an underlying condition. In Brain on Fire, Susannah Cahalan appeared to be having a psychotic break but was suffering from an autoimmune disease. Read more about pseudopsychosis and what caused it in Susannah’s case.
Was Ebola airborne? Were there outbreaks that showed that Ebola was airborne? There were several outbreaks of Ebola that were shown not to be airborne. However, when the virus broke out in the US, scientists asked the question “was Ebola airborne?” So, was Ebola airborne? Keep reading to find out.