Eduard Hitzig
Encyclopedia
Eduard Hitzig was a German neurologist
and neuropsychiatrist born in Berlin
.
He studied medicine at the Universities of Berlin and Würzburg
, and had as instructors, famous men such as Emil Du Bois-Reymond
(1818–1896), Rudolf Virchow
(1821–1902), Moritz Heinrich Romberg
(1795–1873) and Karl Friedrich Otto Westphal (1833–1890). He received his doctorate in 1862, and subsequently worked in Berlin and Würzburg. In 1875 he became director of the Burghölzli
asylum, as well as professor of psychiatry
at the University of Zurich
. In 1885 Hitzig became a professor at the University of Halle, where he remained until his retirement in 1903.
Hitzig is remembered for his work concerning the interaction between electric current and the brain
. In 1870, Hitzig assisted by anatomist Gustav Fritsch
(1837–1927), applied electricity via a thin probe to the exposed cerebral cortex
of a dog without anesthesia
. They performed these studies at the home of Fritsch because the University of Berlin would not allow such experimentation in their laboratories. What Hitzig and Fritsch had discovered is that electrical stimulation of different areas of the cerebrum caused involuntary muscular contractions of specific parts of the dog's body. They identified the brains' "motor strip" which is a vertical strip of brain tissue on the cerebrum in the back of the frontal lobe
which controls different muscles in the body. In 1870 Hitzig published his findings in an essay called Ueber die elektrische Erregbarkeit des Grosshirns (On the Electrical Excitability of the Cerebrum). This experimentation was considered the first time anyone had done any localized study regarding the brain and electric current.
However this was not the first time Hitzig had experienced the interaction between the brain and electricity; earlier in his career as a physician working with the Prussian Army he experimented on wounded soldiers whose skull
s were fractured by bullets. Hitzig noticed that applying a small electric current to the brains of these soldiers caused involuntary muscular movement.
Hitzig and Fritsch's work opened the door to further localized testing of the brain by many others including Scottish neurologist, David Ferrier
.
Neurologist
A neurologist is a physician who specializes in neurology, and is trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders.Neurology is the medical specialty related to the human nervous system. The nervous system encompasses the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. A specialist...
and neuropsychiatrist born in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
He studied medicine at the Universities of Berlin and Würzburg
University of Würzburg
The University of Würzburg is a university in Würzburg, Germany, founded in 1402. The university is a member of the distinguished Coimbra Group.-Name:...
, and had as instructors, famous men such as Emil Du Bois-Reymond
Emil du Bois-Reymond
Emil du Bois-Reymond was a German physician and physiologist, the discoverer of nerve action potential, and the father of experimental electrophysiology.-Life:...
(1818–1896), Rudolf Virchow
Rudolf Virchow
Rudolph Carl Virchow was a German doctor, anthropologist, pathologist, prehistorian, biologist and politician, known for his advancement of public health...
(1821–1902), Moritz Heinrich Romberg
Moritz Heinrich Romberg
Moritz Heinrich Romberg was a Jewish physician from Berlin who published his classic textbook in sections between 1840 and 1846; Edward Henry Sieveking translated it into English in 1853....
(1795–1873) and Karl Friedrich Otto Westphal (1833–1890). He received his doctorate in 1862, and subsequently worked in Berlin and Würzburg. In 1875 he became director of the Burghölzli
Burghölzli
Burghölzli is the common name given for the psychiatric hospital of the University of Zürich, Switzerland. The hospital is located on "Burghölzli", a wooded hill in the district of Riesbach of southeastern Zürich....
asylum, as well as professor of psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
at the University of Zurich
University of Zurich
The University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy....
. In 1885 Hitzig became a professor at the University of Halle, where he remained until his retirement in 1903.
Hitzig is remembered for his work concerning the interaction between electric current and the brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
. In 1870, Hitzig assisted by anatomist Gustav Fritsch
Gustav Fritsch
Gustav Theodor Fritsch was a German anatomist, anthropologist, traveller and physiologist from Cottbus, best known for his work with neuropsychiatrist Eduard Hitzig on the electric localization of the motor areas of the brain...
(1837–1927), applied electricity via a thin probe to the exposed cerebral cortex
Cerebral cortex
The cerebral cortex is a sheet of neural tissue that is outermost to the cerebrum of the mammalian brain. It plays a key role in memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, language, and consciousness. It is constituted of up to six horizontal layers, each of which has a different...
of a dog without anesthesia
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, or anaesthesia , traditionally meant the condition of having sensation blocked or temporarily taken away...
. They performed these studies at the home of Fritsch because the University of Berlin would not allow such experimentation in their laboratories. What Hitzig and Fritsch had discovered is that electrical stimulation of different areas of the cerebrum caused involuntary muscular contractions of specific parts of the dog's body. They identified the brains' "motor strip" which is a vertical strip of brain tissue on the cerebrum in the back of the frontal lobe
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobe is an area in the brain of humans and other mammals, located at the front of each cerebral hemisphere and positioned anterior to the parietal lobe and superior and anterior to the temporal lobes...
which controls different muscles in the body. In 1870 Hitzig published his findings in an essay called Ueber die elektrische Erregbarkeit des Grosshirns (On the Electrical Excitability of the Cerebrum). This experimentation was considered the first time anyone had done any localized study regarding the brain and electric current.
However this was not the first time Hitzig had experienced the interaction between the brain and electricity; earlier in his career as a physician working with the Prussian Army he experimented on wounded soldiers whose skull
Human skull
The human skull is a bony structure, skeleton, that is in the human head and which supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.In humans, the adult skull is normally made up of 22 bones...
s were fractured by bullets. Hitzig noticed that applying a small electric current to the brains of these soldiers caused involuntary muscular movement.
Hitzig and Fritsch's work opened the door to further localized testing of the brain by many others including Scottish neurologist, David Ferrier
David Ferrier
Sir David Ferrier, FRS was a pioneering Scottish neurologist and psychologist.-Life:Ferrier was born in Woodside, Aberdeen and educated at Aberdeen Grammar School before studying for an MA at Aberdeen University...
.