The Lost Reflex: The Background Story

‘The Lost Reflex' is a film based on the misery and science of nerve-muscle paralysis called Guillain-Barré syndrome. It has been created in association with IISER-Pune and showcased in the shortfilm festival hosted by IISER-Pune.

How I conceived the subject to present as a film:

I conceived the idea by seeing the misery patients of Guillain-Barré syndrome undergoes. This is a nerve-muscle paralysis making patient disable. Unfortunately, patients themselves do not understand what they are coming across and why this is happening to them. Moreover, the cause of the disease still elusive. This ignited me to come up with a film on Guillain-Barré syndrome for people who unaware of this potentially debilitating illness. My film will be useful to two large groups: a) patients and their relatives and b) people who are at risk . Additionally, students who aspire to research on this disease, and clinicians who like to assist diagnosis, therapy and rehabilitation of this disease will also find the film interesting.

Majorly, the film will highlight the comprehensive understanding of the development and course of the disease.

Synopsis:

The film flows in a conversational style among a patient, doctor, and nurse at an imaginary clinic named National Institute of Neuro Health (NINH). The patient suffers from Guillain-Barré syndrome, a nerve-muscle paralysis that potentially disabled the sufferer.

Underlying science behind the film

a) The conversation of a patient and doctor:

The patient asks the doctor how this has happened to him and the doctor replies to him in simple language about the disease.

b) What is the disease is all about?

The doctor explains what the symptoms are and experiences the patient is suffering.

c) Causal factors of the disease:

Pictorial demonstration of what are risk determiners of the disease.

d) Mechanism of the disease:

How the disease begins and how it progresses to the peak will be shown.

e) Recovery from the disease:

The patient asks when he can walk and work again and lead to a normal life. The nurse responds.

Screenplay:

Patient: What has happened to me suddenly?

Doctor: After the primary check-up, it seems a condition of nerve damage. (asks) Do you have any infection recently?

Patient: Yes, two weeks back I had diarrhoea. Was that diarrhoea set off this problem?

Doctor: Most probably! That gut infection triggered antibody formation in your body. Antibodies attacked the nerves

Patient: I’m not feeling control over my legs and hands. I could not even swallow solid food.

Doctor: This is because your nerve impulse has been blocked.

Patient: Yes doctor, I am not able to walk. My mother brought me to the hospital.

Doctor: (turns toward the nurse) At the first check-up, looks like Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Nurse: I will send the patient’s blood and cerebrospinal fluid for testing to confirm the cause and diagnosis.

Patient: Can you explain how diarrhoeal infection lead to nerve damage?

Doctor: Ok let me explain. (A graphics will start here illustrating the mechanism of disease development along with narration by the doctor: “Your immune system developed antibodies against the bacteria. The antibodies cross the blood-nerve barrier and bind with nerve surface molecules. This happens because certain nerve molecules look similar to the bacterial antigen. It is called ‘molecular mimicry”.)

Patient: I can visualize what kind of dangerous molecular orchestra is going on inside me right now!

Doctor: No worries, we will start treatment.

Patient: How long it will take to be cured?

Doctor: (encourages) You will recover soon and discharged from hospital.

Nurse: You may need to take home rest for a month before you walk without the assistance of somebody.

(doctor and nurse exit)

Target audience:

a) Primary audience:

Patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome, patient parties and people at risk of developing the disease (for example, where the disease emerged as an epidemic) in any nation. The video will be made in the English language with Creative Commons license (CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0) to make it open and wide-access.

b) Secondary audience:

Healthcare professionals such as resident doctors, nurses, therapists, disability workers, rehabilitation carers and fellow student aspirants.

c) Tertiary audience:

Policymakers, disease society and charities, clinical scientists and academics especially in the India and SAARC countries

Why have I chosen this specific audience?

The primary audiences are the beneficiaries, the secondary audiences are information users and motivation seekers, and the tertiary audiences are influencers. Three core criteria of audience selection are:

a) Clinicodemographic priority

b) Health science community outreach

c) Decision-making authorities’ attention

Crew members:

Concept, Screenplay and Direction: Debprasad Dutta

Character Depiction: Isha Parlikar

Background Music: Windows 10 Video Editor repository

Voiceover: TTSMP3

Acknowledgement: Science Media Centre, IISER-Pune

Special Thanks: Hari Mohanan (Filmfare Awardee)

The short scifilm can be watched by clicking this image redirecting to IGtv channel: