Joseph Jules Dejerine
Encyclopedia
Joseph Jules Dejerine was a French
neurologist
.
Joseph Jules Dejerine was born to French parents in Geneva
, Switzerland
, where his father was a carriage proprietor. During the Franco-Prussian War
(1870) Dejerine worked as a volunteer in a Geneva Hospital and in the spring of 1871 decided to pursue his medicine
studies in Paris. Following qualification he rose the academic ranks and gained several awards. In 1877 he was appointed to the Hôpital Bicêtre
, where he organized a pathological
laboratory. He became professeur agrégé
in 1886, and he found the opportunity to concentrate his efforts on neurology
. He worked at the Hôpital Salpêtrière from 1895, became professor of the history of medicine
in 1901 and received a senior appointement at the Salpêtrière in 1911 as professor of neurology at the University of Paris, School of Medicine.
Dejerine was one of the pioneers in the study of localisation of function in the brain
, having first shown that word blindness may occur as the result of lesions of the supramarginal
and angular
gyri.
In 1888 Dejerine married his student, Augusta Marie Klumpke, who had studied medicine in Paris and in 1887 had been the first woman to become interne des hôpitaux. Dejerine died in 1917 at the age of 68 years, physically debilitated by the stress of work in a military hospital during the World War I
. The centenary of his birth was commemorated in 1949 at the fourth International Neurological Congress in Paris, when Dejerine's pupil, André Thomas, gave a discourse on his mentor's life and achievements.
Dejerine's numerous publications span a period of more than 40 years. Like many eminent neurologists of his era, Dejerine became interested in psychology
in the later stages of his career and he is remembered as a proponent of the view that the personality of the psychotherapist
is crucial in any interaction with the patient.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
neurologist
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
.
Joseph Jules Dejerine was born to French parents in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, where his father was a carriage proprietor. During the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
(1870) Dejerine worked as a volunteer in a Geneva Hospital and in the spring of 1871 decided to pursue his medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
studies in Paris. Following qualification he rose the academic ranks and gained several awards. In 1877 he was appointed to the Hôpital Bicêtre
Bicêtre Hospital
The Bicêtre Hospital is located in Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, which is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It lies 4.5 km from the center of Paris. The Bicêtre Hospital was originally planned as a military hospital, with construction begun in 1634. With the help of Vincent de Paul, it was...
, where he organized a pathological
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
laboratory. He became professeur agrégé
Agrégation
In France, the agrégation is a civil service competitive examination for some positions in the public education system. The laureates are known as agrégés...
in 1886, and he found the opportunity to concentrate his efforts on neurology
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
. He worked at the Hôpital Salpêtrière from 1895, became professor of the history of medicine
History of medicine
All human societies have medical beliefs that provide explanations for birth, death, and disease. Throughout history, illness has been attributed to witchcraft, demons, astral influence, or the will of the gods...
in 1901 and received a senior appointement at the Salpêtrière in 1911 as professor of neurology at the University of Paris, School of Medicine.
Dejerine was one of the pioneers in the study of localisation of function in 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,...
, having first shown that word blindness may occur as the result of lesions of the supramarginal
Supramarginal gyrus
The supramarginal gyrus is a portion of the parietal lobe. It is probably involved with language perception and processing, and lesions in it may cause Wernicke's aphasia or transcortical sensory aphasia.-External links:...
and angular
Angular gyrus
The angular gyrus is a region of the brain in the parietal lobe, that lies near the superior edge of the temporal lobe, and immediately posterior to the supramarginal gyrus; it is involved in a number of processes related to language, mathematics and cognition...
gyri.
In 1888 Dejerine married his student, Augusta Marie Klumpke, who had studied medicine in Paris and in 1887 had been the first woman to become interne des hôpitaux. Dejerine died in 1917 at the age of 68 years, physically debilitated by the stress of work in a military hospital during the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The centenary of his birth was commemorated in 1949 at the fourth International Neurological Congress in Paris, when Dejerine's pupil, André Thomas, gave a discourse on his mentor's life and achievements.
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
in the later stages of his career and he is remembered as a proponent of the view that the personality of the psychotherapist
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
is crucial in any interaction with the patient.
- "In man, emotion is almost everything and reason very little" (J. Dejerine)
Associated eponyms
- Dejerine's "onion-peel sensory loss": Sensory loss starting from mouth and nose and extending concentrically outward observed in lesions of the trigeminal nucleus.
- Dejerine's cortical sensory syndrome: Loss of proprioceptionProprioceptionProprioception , from Latin proprius, meaning "one's own" and perception, is the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement...
and stereognosisStereognosisStereognosis is the ability to perceive and recognize the form of an object using cues from texture, size, spatial properties, and temperature...
with retention of touch, painPainPain is an unpleasant sensation often caused by intense or damaging stimuli such as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting iodine on a cut, and bumping the "funny bone."...
, temperatureTemperatureTemperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
and vibrationOscillationOscillation is the repetitive variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value or between two or more different states. Familiar examples include a swinging pendulum and AC power. The term vibration is sometimes used more narrowly to mean a mechanical oscillation but sometimes...
seen in parietal lobeParietal lobeThe parietal lobe is a part of the Brain positioned above the occipital lobe and behind the frontal lobe.The parietal lobe integrates sensory information from different modalities, particularly determining spatial sense and navigation. For example, it comprises somatosensory cortex and the...
lesion. - Dejerine-Mouzon syndrome: Another parietal lobe syndrome with severe impairment of the primary modalities of sensation (painPainPain is an unpleasant sensation often caused by intense or damaging stimuli such as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting iodine on a cut, and bumping the "funny bone."...
, thermalThermalA thermal column is a column of rising air in the lower altitudes of the Earth's atmosphere. Thermals are created by the uneven heating of the Earth's surface from solar radiation, and are an example of convection. The sun warms the ground, which in turn warms the air directly above it...
, tactile, and vibratory sense). - Dejerine's syndrome: Alternating hypoglossalHypoglossal nerveThe hypoglossal nerve is the twelfth cranial nerve , leading to the tongue. The nerve arises from the hypoglossal nucleus and emerges from the medulla oblongata in the preolivary sulcus separating the olive and the pyramid. It then passes through the hypoglossal canal...
hemiplegiaHemiplegiaHemiplegia /he.mə.pliː.dʒiə/ is total paralysis of the arm, leg, and trunk on the same side of the body. Hemiplegia is more severe than hemiparesis, wherein one half of the body has less marked weakness....
syndrome seen in neurovascular bulbar lesions. - Dejerine-Klumpke paralysis: Lower brachial plexusBrachial plexusThe brachial plexus is a network of nerve fibers, running from the spine, formed by the ventral rami of the lower four cervical and first thoracic nerve roots...
paralysisParalysisParalysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
occurring during birth, particularly with breech deliveries. - Dejerine-Roussy syndrome: Syndrome due to lesions of the posterior thalamusThalamusThe thalamus is a midline paired symmetrical structure within the brains of vertebrates, including humans. It is situated between the cerebral cortex and midbrain, both in terms of location and neurological connections...
. Named along with French physician Gustave RoussyGustave RoussyGustave Roussy was a Swiss-French neuropathologist who was born in Vevey, Switzerland.-Career:As interne des hôpitaux in Paris, Roussy worked under neurologists Pierre Marie and Joseph Jules Dejerine, and in 1907 earned his doctorate from the University of Paris...
(1874–1948). - Dejerine-Sottas disease: A slowly progressive hereditary form of hypertrophic neuropathy characterised by motor and sensory disturbance in the limbs commencing in childhood or adolescence.
- Dejerine-Thomas olivopontocerebellar atrophyOlivopontocerebellar atrophyOlivopontocerebellar atrophy is a term used to define neuronal degeneration in the cerebellum, pontine nuclei, and inferior olivary nucleus...
: A sporadically occurring form of chronic progressive ataxiaAtaxiaAtaxia is a neurological sign and symptom that consists of gross lack of coordination of muscle movements. Ataxia is a non-specific clinical manifestation implying dysfunction of the parts of the nervous system that coordinate movement, such as the cerebellum...
. - Landouzy-Dejerine syndrome: A hereditary form of slowly progressive muscular dystrophy involving primarily the musculature of the shoulders and face, with pattern of inheritance autosomal dominant. Named along with French physician Louis Théophile Joseph LandouzyLouis Théophile Joseph LandouzyLouis Théophile Joseph Landouzy was a French neurologist from Reims, and whose father and grandfather were also physicians. He studied medicine in Reims and Paris, earning his doctorate in 1876...
(1845–1917).