Neurological Eponyms

Neurology abounds with eponyms–Babinski’s sign, Guillain-Barre’ syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, etc. Neurologists and neuroscientists, however, are often hazy about the origin of these terms. This book brings together 55 of the most common eponyms related to the neurological examination, neuroanatomy, and neurological diseases. The chapters have a uniform structure: a short biography, a discussion of and a quotation from the original publication, and a discussion of the subsequent evolution and significance of the eponym. Photographs of all but two of the eponymists have been included. The material is organized into sections on anatomy and pathology, symptoms and signs, reflexes and tests, clinical syndromes, and diseases and defects. The selection of eponyms was based on the frequency of use, familiarity of clinical neurologists with the concept, and the significance within neurology of the individual who coined the eponym. This volume covers some of the classic ideas in the history of clinical neurology. It will be of interest to neurologists, neuroscientists, medical historians, and their students and trainees.