Milan Novák – Michal V. Šimůnek – Avi Ohry:
Von Economo’s Encephalitis: An Enigmatic Pandemic, Pandemic Enigma, or a ʽSyndemicʼ of Its Kind?

Abstract

Von Economo’s Encephalitis: An Enigmatic Pandemic, Pandemic Enigma, or a ʽSyndemicʼ of Its Kind?

The pandemic of encephalitis lethargica was a unique event, which, tragic as it might have been, brought about an abrupt and significant advance of our cognizance of the human brain. The scientist who stood in the centre of this progress was the Vienna neuropsychiatrist, Professor Constantin von Economo (1876–1931). This paper offers a short overview of its occurrence, etiopathogenesis and impact on the principles of neurology.

Language: english

Keywords: encephalitis; pandemic; postencephalitic Parkinsonism; dyskinesia; dystonia; cerebral cytoarchitectonics; psychiatry; neurology; von Economo; Wagner-Jauregg; Brodmann