Post created by Alanna and Lauren
The body’s nervous system is a powerful thing, made up of two parts known as the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord while the peripheral nervous system consists of nerves branching off from these main structures. The nervous system is responsible for voluntary and involuntary actions of the body as well as sensation.
A condition of the nervous system that affects about 3% of the general population is Tourette’s syndrome. Tourette’s syndrome is characterized by the development of “tics” in an individual which are sudden varied physical outbursts that happen repeatedly whether they be sounds, words, or jerks of the body. The film, “Phoebe in Wonderland” models an outcome of dealing with this condition as a child. The struggles of the daughter as she tries to relate with classmates while dealing with this communication barrier brings out empathy of the viewer while also informing the viewer of this condition.
Within the central nervous system, into the brain and into a group of structures known as the basal ganglia lies the hypothesis for the cause behind these tics occurring for those with Tourette’s. Although not completely proven or concrete, it is thought that this area of the brain is involved in Tourette’s due to it’s important “role in suppressing unwanted actions, thoughts, and emotions”. In those who are diagnosed with Tourette’s, it is thought that this basal ganglion does not do its job allowing for sudden outburst or sudden movements. Phoebe from “Phoebe in Wonderland” deals with this disfunction of her basal ganglion through her condition but also uses her imagination and her love of acting to escape into a different world where her Tourette’s is not an inhibition but rather just an addition to who she is.