Epilepsy and the "dark" literature of the Greek novelist Demosthenes Voutyras: an outstanding epileptic personality / Epilepsia e a literatura "sombria" do romancista grego Demosthenes Voutyras: uma personalidade epilética notável

Abstract Background The role of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in determining personality traits and neurobehavioral symptoms, collectively known as the interictal behavioral syndrome (also known as Geschwind syndrome or "Gastaut-Geschwind syndrome"), as well as the syndrome's association with the particular artistic expression of many epileptic litterateurs are well known in neurology and psychiatry. A deepening of emotionality along with a serious, highly ethical, and spiritual behavior have been described as positive personality changes among patients with chronic mesial-TLE. Objectives Our narrative-based clinical hypothesis aims at contributing to the ongoing debate on the association between TLE and artistic expression, as well as the latter's supposed implication for epileptology in general and the neuropsychology of epilepsy in particular. Methods Through an analysis of the biography, language, and literary work of Greek novelist Demosthenes Voutyras, we hypothesize that his mystical and dark writing style could be attributed to medial temporal interictal dynamics. Conclusions We suggest that the psycholiterary profile of Voutyras is consistent with the idiosyncratic characteristics of the temporal lobe personality, while a non-dominant temporal lobe contribution has been proposed.

Resumo Antecedentes O papel da epilepsia do lobo temporal (ELT) na determinação de traços de personalidade e sintomas neurocomportamentais, coletivamente conhecidos como síndrome comportamental interictal (também conhecida como síndrome de Geschwind ou "síndrome de Gastaut-Geschwind"), bem como a associação da síndrome com o expressão de muitos literatos epilépticos são bem conhecidos em neurologia e psiquiatria. Um aprofundamento da emotividade juntamente com um comportamento sério, altamente ético e espiritual tem sido descrito como mudanças positivas de personalidade em pacientes com ELT mesial crônica. Objetivos A nossa hipótese clínica narrativa visa contribuir para o debate em curso sobre a associação entre ELT e a expressão artística, bem como a suposta implicação desta última para a epilepsia em geral e a neuropsicologia da epilepsia em particular. Métodos Através de uma análise da biografia, linguagem e obra literária do romancista grego Demóstenes Voutyras, levantamos a hipótese de que seu estilo de escrita místico e sombrio poderia ser atribuído à dinâmica interictal temporal medial. Conclusões Sugerimos que o perfil psicoliterário de Voutyras é consistente com as características idiossincráticas da personalidade do lobo temporal, enquanto uma contribuição do lobo temporal não dominante foi proposta.

[O vos mendici medici. Criticism of medical doctors by Johannes Gregor Macer Szepsius (ca. 1530-after 1579)]. / O vos mendici medici. Ärztekritik des Johannes Gregor Macer Szepsius (ca. 1530­nach 1579).

A relationship between literature and medicine has existed since antiquity. A physician often appears in the literary genre of satire as the representative of medicine and is the object of the satire. The barely known humanistic author Johannes Gregor Macer Szepsius (ca. 1530-nach 1579) was a humanist who sharply criticized the work and behavior of physicians. We have read, translated and analyzed the satirical verses from his comprehensive poetical work De vera gloria, On the true glory, with respect to content, structure and sources. According to this, physicians are characterized by conceit, ignorance and laziness and therapeutic ineptitude. The comparison with other satirical works shows that much of that which he accuses physicians of is repeated in the history of medicine. Some places are similar to the proverbs from Walter's collection of proverbs from the Middle Ages and others are similar to the invectives of Petrarch. Macer also levels criticism against physicians in his poem about the family tree of his friend Anton Schneeberger that appears in Schneeberger's work De bona valetudine militum conservanda liber.

Marcel Proust y en busca del tiempo perdido: ética de la existencia humana y el mundo de la medicina recuperado / Marcel Proust and in search of lost time: ethics of human existence and the world of medicine recovered / Marcel Proust e em busca do tempo perdido: ética da existência humana e o mundo da medicina recuperado

Resumen: 1. En busca del tiempo perdido de Marcel Proust narra el proyecto-de-existencia del "autor" de la ficción de llegar a ser artista. 2. El mundo de la medicina es el ámbito en que se exterioriza la fragilidad del hombre como ser-referido-a-la-muerte. 3. El sentimiento engañoso de poder de la buena salud embriaga a la medicina, médicos, pacientes, parientes, tratamientos -depreciación irreverente hacia lo perecedero. 4. El tratamiento médico de la agonía de la abuela del "autor" muestra los elementos centrales de la relación médico-paciente de la medicina de comienzos del siglo XX: cognoscitivo, afectivo, operativo, ético y social. 5. El "autor" de la novela no es Marcel Proust y, aunque se trata de una ficción, estimula al mundo médico actual a reflexionar sobre sus fundamentos bioéticos últimos.

Abstract: 1. Marcel Proust´s In Search of Lost Time recounts the fiction of the "author's" project-of-existence to become an artist. 2. The world of medicine is the area in which the fragility of man is expressed as being-referred-to-death. 3. The deceptive feeling of the power of good health intoxicates medicine, physicians, patients, relatives, treatments - irreverent depreciation toward the perishable. 4. The medical treatment of the agony of the "author's" grandmother shows the central elements of the doctor-patient relationship in medicine at the beginning of the 20th century: cognitive, affective, operational, ethical, and social. 5. The "author" of the novel is not Marcel Proust and, although it is a fiction, it encourages today´s medical world to reflect on its fundamental bioethical foundations.

Resumo: 1. Em busca do tempo perdido de Marcel Proust narra o projeto-de-existência do "autor" da ficção de chegar a ser artista. 2. O mundo da medicina é o âmbito em que se exterioriza a fragilidade do homem como ser-referido-à-morte. 3. O sentimento enganoso de poder da boa saúde embriaga a medicina, médicos, pacientes, parentes, tratamentos -depreciação irreverente ao perecível. 4. O tratamento médico da agonia da avó do "autor" mostra os elementos centrais da relação médicopaciente da medicina do princípio do século XX: cognitivo, afetivo, operativo, ético e social. 5. O "autor" do romance não é Marcel Proust e, ainda que se trate de uma ficção, estimula o mundo médico atual a refletir sobre seus fundamentos bioéticos últimos.

Análise de narrativas produzidas por estudantes de Medicina por meio da distribuição de pílulas literárias em uma sala de espera / Analysis of narratives produced by medical students from the distribution of literary pills in a waiting room / Análisis de narrativas producidas por estudiantes de Medicina a partir de la distribución de píldoras literarias en una sala de espera

Os autores apresentam e discutem uma atividade do projeto de extensão Prescrevendo Histórias: desenvolvimento de competência narrativa em estudantes de Medicina, da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. O foco do artigo é a descrição da metodologia desenvolvida: distribuição de pílulas literárias na sala de espera de um ambulatório e produção de narrativas por meio da experiência, bem como sua análise. O artigo está dividido em seções. Inicialmente são apresentados a dinâmica de desenvolvimento da atividade e o procedimento metodológico engendrado para a análise do material produzido por encontros virtuais do grupo. A seguir, é abordada a análise das 25 narrativas, com destaque para as temáticas, os recursos linguísticos e as vozes presentes. Os autores concluem que o recurso didático-pedagógico apresentado possibilitou a incorporação de valores humanísticos à formação dos estudantes de Medicina. (AU)

The authors present and discuss an activity of the extension project "Prescribing stories: development of narrative competence in medical students, from the State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil". The focus of the article is the description of the developed methodology: distribution of literary pills in the waiting room of an outpatient clinic and production of narratives from this experience, as well as the analysis of the created narratives. The article is divided into sections. Initially, the dynamics of the activity's development and the methodological procedure conceived for the analysis of the analysis of the material produced are presented, based on virtual group meetings. Then, the analysis of the 25 narratives is addressed, emphasizing their voices, themes and linguistic resources The authors conclude that the in question didactic-pedagogical resource enabled the incorporation of humanistic values in the education of medical students. (AU)

Los autores presentan y discuten una actividad del proyecto de expansión Prescribiendo historias: desarrollo de competencia narrativa en estudiantes de medicina, de la Universidad del Estado de Río de Janeiro, Brasil. El enfoque del artículo es la descripción de la metodología desarrollada: distribución de píldoras literarias en la sala de espera de un ambulatorio y producción de narrativas a partir de la experiencia, así como de su análisis. El artículo se divide en secciones. Inicialmente se presentan la dinámica de desarrollo de la actividad y el procedimiento metodológico engendrado para el análisis del material producido, a partir de encuentros virtuales del grupo. A seguir, se aborda el análisis de las 25 narrativas, con destaque para las temáticas, los recursos lingüísticos y las voces presentes. Los autores concluyen que el recurso didáctico-pedagógico presentado posibilitó la incorporación de valores humanísticos a la formación de los estudiantes de Medicina. (AU)

Analysis of Medical Students' Book Reports on Shalamov's Kolyma Tales (1974): Would You Reveal the Truth About a Suspected Malingering Patient?

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate medical students' thought processes regarding whether to reveal the truth about a suspected malingering patient by analysing their book reports on Shalamov's Kolyma Tales (1974). METHODS: The participants were 47 medical students in their junior year. The book was provided a month before the classroom lecture. Students had discussions in groups of 7 and wrote book reports that included answers to 3 questions. RESULTS: Most students (39, 83.0%) answered that they had faked an illness previously, and abdominal pain (21, 53.8%) was the most frequently feigned illness. On the pre-reading questionnaire, 14 (29.8%) answered that they would reveal the truth by fair means or foul, whereas 15 (32.0%) would turn a blind eye to a malingering patient. On the post-reading questionnaire, however, 17 (36.2%) answered that they would reveal the truth, while 22 (46.8%) answered that they would turn a blind eye. It is notable that among the 18 students (38.2%) who replied that whether they would reveal the truth depended on the situation on the pre-reading questionnaire, 3 (6.3%) instead stated on the post-reading questionnaire that they would reveal the truth, while 7 (14.9%) answered that they would turn a blind eye. The remaining 8 (17.0%) did not change their mind and still replied that it depended on the situation. CONCLUSION: It is thought that reading and discussing this story gave the students the opportunity to think about how to manage malingering patients, as portrayed in Shalamov's Kolyma Tales (1974).

Considerations about the Neuropsychiatric Conditions of Quixote of La Mancha. / Consideraciones sobre las condiciones neuropsiquiátricas del Quijote de la Mancha.

Don Quixote of La Mancha, the picturesque character created by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra in his immortal book The Ingenious Nobleman Sir Quixote of La Mancha, presents several neuropsychiatric conditions, including tremor, sleep disturbances, neuropsychiatric symptoms, syncope, perception disorders and traumatic brain injury. Throughout the masterpiece, there are episodes where the aforementioned disorders are evident. This paper makes a list of them and analyses them in the light of the current knowledge of those conditions.

Consideraciones sobre las condiciones neuropsiquiátricas del Quijote de la Mancha / Considerations about the Neuropsychiatry Conditions of Quixote of La Mancha

RESUMEN Don Quijote de la Mancha, el pintoresco personaje creado por Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra en su obra inmortal El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha, presenta varias condiciones neuropsiquiátricas que incluyen tremor, trastornos del sueño, síntomas neuropsiquiátricos, síncope, trastornos de la percepción y traumatismo craneoencefálico. A lo largo de la obra, se presentan episodios en los que se hacen evidentes los diferentes trastornos mencionados. El artículo hace un recuento de ellos a través de la novela y un análisis a la luz de los conocimientos actuales sobre dichas condiciones.

ABSTRACT Don Quixote of La Mancha, the picturesque character created by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra in his immortal book The Ingenious Nobleman Sir Quixote of La Mancha, presents several neuropsychiatric conditions, including tremor, sleep disturbances, neuropsychiatric symptoms, syncope, perception disorders and traumatic brain injury. Throughout the masterpiece, there are episodes where the aforementioned disorders are evident. This paper makes a list of them and analyses them in the light of the current knowledge of those conditions.

Eutanásia sob a perspectiva da bioética e clínica ampliada / Euthanasia from the perspective of extended bioethics and clinics / La eutanasia desde la perspectiva de la bioética y la clínica ampliada

Resumo "Eutanásia" significa causar óbito rápido e indolor ou não o evitar, visando aliviar o sofrimento do paciente quando a morte é entendida como melhor bem ou menor mal. "Clínica ampliada" diz respeito à expansão do objeto de interesse clínico, ocupando-se não apenas da doença, mas também e sobretudo do sujeito singular. O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a eutanásia a partir da bioética ampliada. Para isso, utilizou-se trecho do romance Anne Prédaille , do escritor francês Henri Troyat, no qual a personagem principal provoca a morte da mãe aplicando dose elevada de morfina. O fragmento mostra a eutanásia como questão de sujeitos com histórias de vida singulares que se inter-relacionam, e não como a passagem asséptica da vida para a morte. Concluiu-se que a bioética deve considerar a história das pessoas envolvidas no processo da eutanásia.

Abstract Euthanasia is the act of intentionally ending a life quickly and painlessly, or omitting to prevent it, to alleviate suffering when death is understood as the greater good or the lesser evil. An extended clinical approach refers to the expansion of the object of clinical interest, which is concerned not only with the disease, but also and above all with the individual. This study analyzes euthanasia from the perspective of extended bioethics. To this end, we used an excerpt from the novel Anne Prédaille by French writer Henri Troyat, in which the main character causes the death of her mother, who suffers from a terminal illness, by applying a high dose of morphine. The literary fragment was intended to show euthanasia as a matter of subjects with unique interrelated life stories, and not as the aseptic passage from life to death. We concluded that bioethics must consider the life history of people involved in the process of euthanasia.

Resumen "Eutanasia" es hacer que una persona muera rápidamente y sin dolor, o no evitarlo, con el fin de aliviar el sufrimiento, cuando la muerte se entiende como el mejor bien o el menor mal. "Clínica ampliada" se refiere a la expansión del objeto de interés de la clínica, que se ocupa no solo de la enfermedad, sino también y sobre todo del individuo. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la eutanasia desde una bioética ampliada. Para ello, se utilizó un extracto de la novela Anne Prédaille del escritor francés Henri Troyat, en la que el personaje principal provoca la muerte de la madre por la aplicación de una alta dosis de morfina. El fragmento muestra la eutanasia como una cuestión de sujetos con historias de vida únicas que se interrelacionan, y no como la transición aséptica de la vida a la muerte. Se llegó a la conclusión de que la bioética debe considerar la historia de la vida de las personas que participan en el proceso de eutanasia.

The Spanish flu and the fiction literature.

This review focuses on the fictional literature in which the Spanish flu is represented either as an anecdotal or as a historical aspect and the effect on the author or fictional character. We examine this sociocultural period in the press and mainly in Anglo-Saxon literary works and from other countries, including Spanish and Latin American literature that is not very represented in some international reviews on the subject. Also, we include books about the previous and subsequent influenza pandemics to the Spanish flu.

Malignant but not maleficent: acute leukaemia as a possible explanation of disease and death in vampire victims.

BACKGROUND: A considerable amount of research has been put into the explanation of the origin of the vampire myth by focussing on possible symptoms of the vampire; however, very little attention has been given to the victims. AIMS: To elucidate whether the myth of vampire victims follows the course of disease of acute leukaemia. METHOD: We studied three classical vampire novels published 1819-1897, focusing on 8 victims and their symptoms. The novels were chosen based on their iconic status in classic vampire literature, which defined the vampire genre and the symptoms of the victims for many years. The symptoms and course of disease following vampire attacks described in these novels were then compared with symptoms commonly seen in untreated acute leukaemia and other contemporary disorders. RESULTS: The earliest novel (1819) did not provide a sufficient description of any symptoms in detail; however, the later novels (1872 and 1897) both provided elaborate portrayals of symptoms and course of the disease. The patients studied were all factitious-explaining the variation in symptoms; however, they share common features. One case, a young woman named Lucy Westenra, described by Bram Stoker, 1897, mirrors a textbook example of an acute leukaemia patient-despite being described before the time of common acknowledgment of the diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Victims in the gothic vampire novels from the nineteenth century could very likely be inspired by real-life acute leukaemia patients.

Stroke care in 1960 and now-the case of René Maugras.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Georges Simenon accurately describes, in a novel called Les Anneaux de Bicêtre, the clinical picture and course, and the hospital procedures and treatment of a patient with a large left hemispheric stroke, presumably ischemic. METHODS: I here summarize these features and use them as a basis to discuss the marked changes in stroke evaluation and care in the last 60 years. RESULTS/CASE REPORT: A 54-year old Newspaper director was admitted shortly after an acute stroke leading to temporary loss of consciousness, to motor aphasia and right hemiplegia and hypoesthesia. Risk factors included hypertension, a sedentary life, smoking, and a previous episode of cardiac arrhythmia possibly related to congenital heart disease. Evaluation included electroencephalography, cerebral arteriography and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. The acute treatment involved prolonged bed rest in a private room, prophylactic antibiotics, and oral anticoagulation. Smoking was allowed. Prolonged in-hospital rehabilitation followed initial passive physical therapy provided by nurses. After many months, the patient was released with persistent motor problems and a marked psychological change. CONCLUSION: The entire field of acute stroke care has been revolutionized in the last 60 years. Big data management, telemedicine, software, new brain and vascular imaging techniques, biomarkers, robotics etc., are currently in development and again should lead to new and surprising changes during the next decades.

Emilio Zola y la influencia de la Medicina en su obra La Fortuna de los Rougon-Macquart / The influence of medicine in Emile Zola's "Fortune of the Rougon-Macquart"

Emile Zola is one of the greatest writers in universal literature. In his important series of novels called "The Fortune of the Rougon-Macquart", Zola shows a surprising medical knowledge even though he did not have a formal medical education. We highlight not only his outstanding literary talent, but also the scientific relevance of the tremendous contribution to the medical field that can be extracted from his work. In this series, which describe the history of five generations within a large family suffering from neuropsychiatric and general pathologies, Zola emphasizes the hereditary component of several diseases. These observations probably place him as the first novelist who made an explicit emphasis on the power of inheritance in human behavior. He also mentions for the first time several medical aspects that were seldom addressed in the scientific literature of the time, demonstrating the genius of the writer, his outstanding power of observation and the rigorous preparation with which he wrote his work.

The charming physician (El médico encantador): neurological conditions in a short story by Silvina Ocampo / O médico encantador (El médico encantador): doenças neurológicas em um conto de Silvina Ocampo

ABSTRACT The Argentinian author Silvina Ocampo (1903-1993) left us a vast body of works which are considered outstanding in many ways. In 1960, she published a short story, entitled "El médico encantador" (The Charming Physician), in the renowned literary magazine Sur. The central character of this piece is a family doctor named Albino Morgan, who had a secret truth: in any house he visited, all variety of disease also entered. He brought with him the viruses he disseminated. The narrator of this short story—one of his patients—describes four of Morgan's diseases. These imaginary neurological conditions allowed Ocampo to explore improbable situations in everyday life.

RESUMO A autora argentina Silvina Ocampo (1903-1993) deixou-nos uma vasta obra que é considerada excelente de várias maneiras. Em 1960, publicou um conto, intitulado "El médico encantador" (O médico encantador), na famosa revista literária Sur. O personagem principal desta obra é um médico de família chamado Albino Morgan que possuía uma verdade secreta: em qualquer casa que ele visitava, também entrava toda a diversidade de doenças. O narrador deste conto -um dos seus pacientes- descreve quatro das doenças de Morgan. Estas condições neurológicas imaginárias permitiu a Ocampo explorar as situações improváveis da vida quotidiana.

[The worlds of gods in medicine]. / Götterwelten in der Heilkunde.

BACKGROUND: A number of designations for diseases, medicines and human body structures derive from classical mythology. To date, these eponyms have not been systematically investigated. OBJECTIVES: This paper provides an overview of this fringe component of medical vocabulary, looks at the history of several terms and formulates hypotheses as to why such creative etymologies have come into being. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In addition to relevant texts on ancient mythology, a variety of medical textbooks from the early modern period were analyzed. RESULTS: Between the 16th and the 20th centuries some 30 figures from Greek and Roman literature made their way into the terminology of medical sciences. A few of these expressions can be encountered in clinical use (e. g., Caput Medusae, Proteus, Oedipus complex) and remain official anatomical (atlas, Achilles tendon) or pharmaceutical nomenclature (atropine, morphine). The choice of these designations has often been similarity of form or analogies in function. Classical eponyms have gained acceptance on account of their succinctness, conciseness and scholarly veneer. Finally, this vocabulary shares its origin with other relevant terminology. CONCLUSIONS: In clinical classes, mythological designations can serve as a point of departure for digressions into literary, art and medical history in order to provide an understanding of cultural traditions and enhance education.

Analysis of medical student's book reports on Cronin's The Citadel: would young doctors give up ideals for prestige and wealth?

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to find what medical students think the reward for their future work should be and whether they would keep their ideals or abandon them for prestige and wealth by analyzing the book reports of Cronin's The Citadel. METHODS: Participants were 50 medical students of junior class. A month before the classroom lecture, the book and digital video disk were provided. Students had discussions in groups of seven and wrote book reports which include answers of three questions. RESULTS: Regarding what should be the reward for the medical doctor, two-thirds of students (66.7%) answered with spiritual compensation, while one-third (33.3%) chose material reward. In the situation presented to Manson, three-fifths (60.0%) answered they would keep their ideals (idealist), while the remaining two-fifths (40.0%) decided they would abandon them. Less than one-third of students (30.0%) answered they would reveal the corruptions of the doctor's society, while two-thirds (64.0%) would not. CONCLUSION: The larger number of idealists who prefer spiritual reward rather than a material reward represents the innocence of youth as in portrayed in The Citadel.

Analysis of medical student's book reports on Cronin's The Citadel: would young doctors give up ideals for prestige and wealth? / 한국의학교육

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to find what medical students think the reward for their future work should be and whether they would keep their ideals or abandon them for prestige and wealth by analyzing the book reports of Cronin's The Citadel. METHODS: Participants were 50 medical students of junior class. A month before the classroom lecture, the book and digital video disk were provided. Students had discussions in groups of seven and wrote book reports which include answers of three questions. RESULTS: Regarding what should be the reward for the medical doctor, two-thirds of students (66.7%) answered with spiritual compensation, while one-third (33.3%) chose material reward. In the situation presented to Manson, three-fifths (60.0%) answered they would keep their ideals (idealist), while the remaining two-fifths (40.0%) decided they would abandon them. Less than one-third of students (30.0%) answered they would reveal the corruptions of the doctor's society, while two-thirds (64.0%) would not. CONCLUSION: The larger number of idealists who prefer spiritual reward rather than a material reward represents the innocence of youth as in portrayed in The Citadel.

Literature and Cardiology / Literatura e Cardiologia

No 64º encontro de Cardiologia do American College of Cardiology, realizado em março de 2015 na Califórnia, a palestra de abertura foi realizada pelo Dr. Abraham Verghese, certamente não conhecido pelas suas publicações em revistas de cardiologia. Por meio da leitura de um poema, esse professor de Medicina Interna da Universidade de Stanford, discutiu a relação entre a ciência e a literatura, levando os cardiologistas a um momento único de reflexão sobre a atuação e relação diária dos profissionais médicos com o coração dos pacientes...

In the 64th Cardiology Session of the American College of Cardiology, held in March 2015 in California, the opening lecture was given by Dr. Abraham Verghese, certainly not known for his publications in cardiology journals. By reading a poem, this professor of Internal Medicine at Stanford University discussed the relationship between science and literature, encouraging the cardiologists to entertain a unique moment of deep thinking about the work and the daily connection of medical professionals with the hearts ofpatients...

MS in prose, poems and drama.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Presentations of MS in fictional literature have not been previously researched. This paper surveys and analyses these portrayals of the disease for the first time. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Relevant works in English and German were identified by means of keyword searches in online public access catalogues and search engines as well as old-fashioned research. The neurological and literary evaluation of these 7000 pages of text combines qualitative and quantitative methods. RESULTS: Between 1954 and 2012 at least 55 literary works appeared with an MS motif (35 novels, 18 poems, one novella and one drama). The authors were predominantly female and a third of them suffered from the disease. Patients in the novels largely reflect real epidemiology as regards symptoms and disease progression, while diagnostic and therapeutic options play a secondary role. From a literary point of view, 'entwicklungsromane', 'relationship novels' and 'young adult books' can be discerned. MS is often portrayed in metaphoric language as the enemy: a demon, an animalistic being, prison or an abyss. CONCLUSION: The MS motif evidences a medicalization of the literature as well as a literary portrayal of anthropological experiences. Well-written novels can contribute to the de-stigmatization of MS and impart basic medical knowledge.