Jean-Pierre Falret
Encyclopedia
Jean-Pierre Falret was a French psychiatrist
born in Marseille
.
In 1811 he began his medical studies in Paris
, where he was inspired by the work of Philippe Pinel
(1745-1826) and Jean Étienne Dominique Esquirol (1772-1840). In 1819 he obtained his medical doctorate, and in 1831 was appointed chef de l’hospice at the Salpêtrière
, a position he maintained until his retirement in 1867. In 1822 with Félix Voisin
(1794-1872), he established a mental institution at Vanves
.
Falret was a leading authority on medical illnesses. He believed in the dualistic
nature of the individual, and a separation of body and soul. He proposed that when the soul and a diseased condition interact, a phenomenon he called novum organon appeared. Accordingly, this manifestation of the novum organon created disturbances of the soul and caused mental illness
. He believed that this mental condition could not be remedied by somatic
treatment alone, but mainly through "psychic" moral methods.
In 1851 he published an article describing a condition he called la folie circulaire (circular insanity), of which a patient would switch from a state of manic excitement to a state of severe depression. Falret's description is considered to be the earliest documented diagnosis of what today is known as a bipolar affective disorder
.
With psychiatrist Ernest-Charles Lasègue
, he diagnosed a communal psychotic disorder sometimes referred to as "Lasègue-Falret syndrome" (folie à deux
). This syndrome is characterized by the coincidental appearance of psychotic symptoms in family members while living together, as well as retention of the symptoms when the individuals are separated. This syndrome can also involve a situation where a diseased family member transmits psychotic symptoms to healthy members of the family. The two doctors published their findings in a treatise called La folie à deux ou folie communiquée.
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
born in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
.
In 1811 he began his medical studies in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where he was inspired by the work of Philippe Pinel
Philippe Pinel
Philippe Pinel was a French physician who was instrumental in the development of a more humane psychological approach to the custody and care of psychiatric patients, referred to today as moral therapy...
(1745-1826) and Jean Étienne Dominique Esquirol (1772-1840). In 1819 he obtained his medical doctorate, and in 1831 was appointed chef de l’hospice at the Salpêtrière
Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital
The Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital is a teaching hospital located in Paris, France. Part of the Assistance publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, it is one of Europe's largest hospitals...
, a position he maintained until his retirement in 1867. In 1822 with Félix Voisin
Félix Voisin
Félix Voisin was a French psychiatrist born in Le Mans.He studied medicine in Paris, where in 1819 he earned his doctorate. He was a disciple of Jean-Étienne Dominique Esquirol , and a colleague of Jean-Pierre Falret , with whom he founded a private mental institution at Vanves in 1822...
(1794-1872), he established a mental institution at Vanves
Vanves
Vanves is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe and the tenth in France -History:...
.
Falret was a leading authority on medical illnesses. He believed in the dualistic
Dualism
Dualism denotes a state of two parts. The term 'dualism' was originally coined to denote co-eternal binary opposition, a meaning that is preserved in metaphysical and philosophical duality discourse but has been diluted in general or common usages. Dualism can refer to moral dualism, Dualism (from...
nature of the individual, and a separation of body and soul. He proposed that when the soul and a diseased condition interact, a phenomenon he called novum organon appeared. Accordingly, this manifestation of the novum organon created disturbances of the soul and caused mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
. He believed that this mental condition could not be remedied by somatic
Somatic
The term somatic means 'of the body',, relating to the body. In medicine, somatic illness is bodily, not mental, illness. The term is often used in biology to refer to the cells of the body in contrast to the germ line cells which usually give rise to the gametes...
treatment alone, but mainly through "psychic" moral methods.
In 1851 he published an article describing a condition he called la folie circulaire (circular insanity), of which a patient would switch from a state of manic excitement to a state of severe depression. Falret's description is considered to be the earliest documented diagnosis of what today is known as a bipolar affective disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
.
With psychiatrist Ernest-Charles Lasègue
Charles Lasègue
Charles Lasègue, full name Ernest-Charles Lasègue was a French physician who was born in Paris. In 1847 he received his medical doctorate from the University of Paris, and during the following year was sent to Southern Russia by the French government to research an epidemic of cholera...
, he diagnosed a communal psychotic disorder sometimes referred to as "Lasègue-Falret syndrome" (folie à deux
Folie à deux
-Further reading:*Halgin, R. & Whitbourne, S. Abnormal Psychology: Clinical Perspectives on Psychological Disorders. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0072817216...
). This syndrome is characterized by the coincidental appearance of psychotic symptoms in family members while living together, as well as retention of the symptoms when the individuals are separated. This syndrome can also involve a situation where a diseased family member transmits psychotic symptoms to healthy members of the family. The two doctors published their findings in a treatise called La folie à deux ou folie communiquée.
Selected publications
- Recherches statistiques sur les aliénés, les suicides et les morts subites (Memoir presented to the Académie des sciences in 1828/1829; a prize-winning paper that earned him the membership of the Académie de Médecine
- De l’aléniation mentale, 1838
- Du délire, 1839
- De la folie circulaire ou forme de maladie mentale caracterisée par alternative régulière de la manie et de la melancholie, 1851
- Mémoire sur la folie circulaire, forme de la maladie mentale caractérisée par la reproduction successive et régulière de l’état maniaque, de l’état mélancolique, et d’un intervalle lucide plus ou moins prolongé, (Bulletin de l'Académie impériale de médecine 19: 382-400), 1854
- De la non-existence de la monomanie, 1854
- Du traitement général des aliénés, 1854.
Further reading
- Jean-Pierre Falret @ Who Named ItWho Named ItWho Named It? is an English-language dictionary of medical eponyms and the people associated with their identification. Though this is a dictionary, many eponyms and persons are presented in extensive articles with comprehensive bibliographies. It is hosted in Norway and maintained by medical...