Encephalitis describes any condition where an infection causes acute inflammation of the tissues of the brain. Once common, it is becoming increasingly rare as the diseases that can lead to it are generally vaccinated against or become easier to treat. The patients in the movie Awakenings were all victims of a now rare type of encephalitis, encephalitis lethargica. The disease can only be treated by treating the underlying illness. See also the article on herpes encephalitis.