Episode 63: Batman / Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis

Doctor Vs Comedian

(Our apologies about the quality of the sound on Asif’s track). Today, Ai and Asif discuss the history of comic book superhero Batman (0:55). They reminisce about the Batman TV show from the 1960’s and then speak about Tim Burton’s reimagining of the character in 1989 and the influence of Frank Miller’s ‘The Dark Knight Returns”. They discuss the casting of Michael Keaton and the follow up movie ‘Batman Returns’. They then discuss the diminishing returns of the Schumacher movies (although they did like Val Kilmer). They then discuss the Christopher Nolan movies and the pinnacle of Batman movies ‘The Dark Knight’, featuring the award winning performance by Heath Ledger. Then then discuss Ben Affleck and his portrayal of the character and Asif talks about the ‘Arkham’ video games series. The guys then give their thoughts on the new movie ‘The Batman’ (spoilers after 29:30). Then Ali asks Asif about the mysterious new disease anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis (38:20). Asif talks about the cause, the symptoms, how it often affects young women, and how it can be mistaken for psychiatric disease. Asif then discusses how he diagnosed the first Canadian patient with the disease almost 15 years with the help of Dr. Josep Dalmau. He then discusses the very unusual tumors (ovarian teratomas) that can be associated with the disorder. They then discuss the case of Susannah Calahan whose experience with the disease is documented in the book and movie Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness.

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Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

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Show Notes:

• Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis. The disorder, the diagnosis and the immunobiology: https://www.antinmdafoundation.org/
• Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis in Japan: Long-term outcome without tumor removal: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2586938/
• The Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis Foundation: https://www.antinmdafoundation.org/
• Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness- https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Brain-on-Fire/Susannah-Cahalan/9781982109486