Sleepy sickness is a neurological disease that affects the brain's ability to control movement. There are several synonyms for this condition, including encephalitis lethargica, epidemic encephalitis, and von Economo's encephalitis. Encephalitis lethargica is the most common synonym for sleepy sickness, and it is named after the inflammation of the brain that causes the condition. Epidemic encephalitis is used to describe the sudden outbreak of the disease in a population, while von Economo's encephalitis is named after the physician who first described the disease in 1917. Regardless of the synonym used, sleepy sickness is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention.