Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://ahro.austin.org.au/austinjspui/handle/1/11299
Title: Pioneering concepts in epileptology: the cerebral dysrhythmia of Frederic Gibbs (1903-92) and William Lennox (1884-1960).
Austin Authors: Bladin, Peter F 
Affiliation: Comprehensive Epilepsy Programme, Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Locked Bag 25, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
Issue Date: 30-Jun-2011
Publication information: Journal of Clinical Neuroscience 2011; 18(8): 1038-43
Abstract: The development of the electroencephalogram and its use in the study of epilepsy supplied the research team of William Lennox and Frederic (Frederick) Gibbs at Harvard University with an entirely new method of studying the epileptic activity of the brain. The abnormal activity, thought to be a "dysrhythmia", seemed to indicate a central role for inheritance in this condition, and there seemed a more considerable penetration of inheritable epileptic tendency in the community than at first thought. Lennox, who had a long-held interest in eugenics, felt that further study was needed and this he undertook in his famous "Twin Series" exploring epilepsy in identical and non-identical twin pairs. Frederic and Erna Gibbs, however, went on to study the electrical activity accompanying various clinical seizure types. These were the early days of electroencephalography, and mistaken over-emphasis given to various forms of non-specific slower components introduced conceptual errors in both areas of research. However, the overall results of this pioneering research provided very significant advances in epileptology.
Gov't Doc #: 21719295
URI: https://ahro.austin.org.au/austinjspui/handle/1/11299
DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2010.12.051
Journal: Journal of Clinical Neuroscience
URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21719295
Type: Journal Article
Subjects: Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cerebral Cortex.physiopathology
Electroencephalography
Epilepsy.etiology.history.pathology
History, 19th Century
History, 20th Century
Humans
Male
Neurology.history.methods
Appears in Collections:Journal articles

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