Epilepsy
Dr. John Hughlings Jackson
An English neurologist, In 1873, Jackson gave the following definition for epilepsy: “Epilepsy is the name for occasional, sudden, excessive, rapid and local discharges of grey matter”. He set the scientific basis for epilepsy. His Study of Convulsions was the culmination of his research stressing the existence of localised lesions on cortex involved in epileptic convulsions
Dr. Hans Berger (1873- 1941)
German psychiatrist, best known as the inventor of human EEG. He was the first to describe the various waves and rhythms seen in the EEG of normal and abnormal brain. The ‘alpha’ wave rhythm is also known as the ‘Berger’ wave. Berger reported sequential postictal EEG changes after a generalized tonicoclonic seizure, and in 1933 he published the first example of interictal changes and a minor epileptic seizure with 3/s rhythmic waves in the EEG.
Dr. James Kiffin Penry (1929–1996)
American neurologist, in 1969, published important treatises such as the series Basic Mechanisms of the Epilepsies and afterwards Antiepileptic Drugs, Neurosurgical Management of the Epilepsies, Complex Partial Seizures, and their Treatment, and Antiepileptic Drugs Mechanisms of Action and Advances in Epileptology
Dr. Henri Jean Pascal Gastaut (1915-1995)
A french neurologist, he defined five major human EEG patterns (lambda waves, pi rhythm, mu rhythm, rolandic spikes, and posterior theta rhythm). He also described two syndromes under his name: Gastaut syndrome, a type of photosensitive epilepsy ,and the Lennox- Gastaut syndrome (severe childhood encephalopathy) with onset in childhood with myoclonic seizures at night, head nodding, and drop attacks particularly prominent. He also studied photic and other self-induced seizures, startle epilepsy, HHE syndrome, and benign partial epilepsy of childhood with occipital spike-waves
Dr. William Gordon Lennox (1884-1960):
American neurologist who pioneered in the use of Electroencephalography in diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. Lennox worked with Dr. Stanley Cobb focused on the effects of various stimuli to the generation of epileptic convulsions such as starvation, ketogenic diet, and lack of oxygen, most of them with negative results. He worked with Frederick and Erna Gibbs to publish the ‘Atlas of electroencephalography’ in 1941. Lennox and Gibbs first introduced the notion of operating on the epileptogenic focus in 1938. He wrote the description of the ‘Lennox-Gastaut’ syndrome in his book titled, “Epilepsy and related disorders”.
Dr. Emil Theodor Kocher (1841-1917)
First surgeon ever to receive a nobel prize. He hypothesised that epilepsy was caused by raised intracranial pressure and that drainage of CSF could treat epilepsy. He worked alongside Dr. Harvey Cushing with post-traumatic epileptic disorders in patients with high endocranial pressure. He was a pioneer in aseptic surgery, scientific method in surgery, and thyroid surgery. Kocher’s forceps, Kocher’s point, Kocher’s manoeuvre are named in his honor.
Dr. William P. Van Wagenen (1897- 1961)
Trainee of Dr. Harvey Cushing, co-founder and first president of AANS. First neurosurgeon to attempt, study and publish results of corpus callosotomy in patients of epilepsy.
Dr. Percival Bailey (1892-1973):
American neuropathologist, neurosurgeon and psychiatrist. He is primarily known for his work with Dr. Cushing on brain oncology. He was the first to attempt temporal lobectomies for psychomotor seizures and the use of electrocorticography for intraoperative localisation.
Dr. Murray Falconer (1910- 1977)
Neurosurgeon from New Zealand.His interest in the surgery of temporal lobe epilepsy in conjunction with colleagues in neuropathology, EEG and neuroradiology. He introduced en bloc anterior temporal lobe resection and the term mesial temporal sclerosis.
Dr. Wilder Penfield (1891-1976)
Canadian Neurosurgeon. Penfield applied the Foerster method for removing epileptogenic lesions on an epilepsy patient. After founding the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), in 1934, in collaboration with Jasper, he invented the Montreal procedure for the surgical treatment of epilepsy. Through his operations, Penfield was able to identify various brain centers and to create maps of the sensory and motor cortices of the brain. Penfield perfected and established his surgical procedures as a treatment of choice in intractable epilepsy, especially of neocortical regions. In 1954, Penfield published with Jasper one of the greatest classics in neurology, Epilepsy and the Functional Anatomy of the Human Brain
Dr.JeanTalairach
In 1957, Talairach (1911–2007) published his stereotactic atlas, a work that changed the future of epilepsy neurosurgery the next decade.The term stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) was introduced by Talairach and Jean Bancaud (1921–1993). Their method brought a revolution in the surgery of epilepsy, since it allowed investigative presurgical and therapeutic surgical phases to be completely dissociated. Tailarach and Bancaud employing their technique showed that lesional and irritative zones had a variable topographic relationship within the epileptogenic zone. Tailarach’s method allowed the individualization of epileptic surgery for each patient.