Full Description
The book provides the first state-of-the-art overview of Alice in Wonderland syndrome, an enigmatic neurological condition characterised by perceptual distortions (for example, seeing things as being larger or smaller than they actually are; seeing human faces change into animal faces; feeling one's body growing larger or smaller; experiencing time as slowing down or speeding up; etc.). It describes the clinical presentation of the syndrome, including its huge variety of symptoms and the variability of its natural course. The book starts out with several vivid case vignettes from the author's clinical practice, and then explains how and why the concept was introduced. In addition, it explains what is currently known about the underlying medical conditions and brain mechanisms, proposes a diagnostic algorithm, and makes recommendations for treatment. Throughout the book, a recurring question is whether or not Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll) suffered from the symptoms he describedso aptly in his famous children's book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Accordingly, the book should appeal to anyone interested in the brain and its disorders, as well as readers interested in the life of Lewis Carroll.
Contents
Inside the consulting room.- The making of a syndrome.- Charles Dodgson.- Neurobiology.- Diagnosis and treatment.- Did Charles Dodgson suffer from Alice in Wonderland syndrome?.- Appendix A: Table 1 Charles Dodgson's medical history.- Table 2 Visual distortions (metamorphopsias).- Table 3 Somesthetic and other non-visual distortions.- Table 4 Conditions causing Alice in Wonderland syndrome.- Appendix B: Transcript of On Catching Cold, by Charles Dodgson (Oxford: University Press, 1881).- Appendix C: Proposed diagnostic criteria for Alice in Wonderland syndrome.
