In the movie, Awakenings, there were many actual depictions of what happened during the trial. The actual events of the drug trial were performed by Dr. Oliver Sacks who asked that his name be changed in the movie. During the 1920s there was an epidemic of encephalitis lethargica that spread worldwide. Symptoms of encephalitis begin with high fever, headache, and sore throat. Progression of the disease has symptoms of muscle pain, tremors, slowing of physical and mental response as well as drowsiness. This was portrayed in the beginning of the movie with Leonard Lowe who had tremors in his hand which stopped him from writing and doing simple tasks. L Dopa was an experimental drug that was brought into focus by Arvid Carlsson who showed
