A teenager with a rare autoimmune disorder experienced a hallucination of a flying green dinosaur.

What it means

This is a case report of a 16-year-old girl whose hallucinations—including a vivid flying green dinosaur—led doctors to diagnose a rare autoimmune brain disorder. The condition, likely anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, causes the immune system to attack healthy brain cells, triggering psychiatric symptoms that mimic psychosis. The specific, bizarre nature of the hallucination helped differentiate it from a primary psychiatric disorder.

Accuracy & sourcesGrounded

The claim originates from a specific medical case report, which is the primary source. Live Science, a reputable secondary outlet, is reporting on this case, and its framing is consistent with the standard clinical narrative of such diagnostic dilemmas.

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