Download PDF
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2016; 74(05): 423-425
DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X20160040
HISTORICAL NOTES

What’s in a name? Problems, facts and controversies regarding neurological eponyms

O que significa um nome? Problemas, fatos e controvérsias de epçnimos em neurologia
Hélio A. G. Teive
1   Universidade Federal do Paraná, Hospital de Clínicas, Serviço de Neurologia, Curitiba PR, Brasil;
,
Plínio M. G. Lima
1   Universidade Federal do Paraná, Hospital de Clínicas, Serviço de Neurologia, Curitiba PR, Brasil;
,
Francisco M. B. Germiniani
1   Universidade Federal do Paraná, Hospital de Clínicas, Serviço de Neurologia, Curitiba PR, Brasil;
,
Renato P. Munhoz
2   University of Toronto, Toronto Western Hospital, Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Centre, Toronto, Canadá.
› Author Affiliations
› Further Information
Also available at
   Permissions and Reprints

ABSTRACT

The use of eponyms in neurology remains controversial, and important questions have been raised about their appropriateness. Different approaches have been taken, with some eponyms being excluded, others replaced, and new ones being created. An example is Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome, which has been replaced by neurodegeneration with brain iron accuulatium (NBIA). Amiothoplic lateral sclerosys (ALS), for which the eponym is Charcot’s disease, has been replaced in the USA by Lou Gehrig’s disease. Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an eponym that is still the subject of controversy, and various different names are associated with it. Finally,restless legs syndrome (RLS), which was for years known as Ekbom’s syndrome, has been rechristened as RLS/Willis-Ekbom syndrome.

RESUMO

O uso de epçnimos em neurologia permanece ainda controverso nos dias de hoje, e importantes questões tem sido levantadas sobre o seu uso. Diferentes abordagens têm sido feitas, com a exclusão de alguns epçnimos, modificação ou criação de outros. Um exemplo é a síndrome de Hallervorden-Spatz (SHS), cuja denominação foi modificada para neurodegeneração associada com acúmulo de ferro cerebral (NBIA). Outro exemplo é a esclerose lateral amiotrófica (ELA), cujo epçnimo doença de Charcot, tem sido substituído nos EUA por doença de Lou Gehring. A síndrome de Guillain-Barré (SGB) representa um epçnimo em que a controvérsia persiste, e diferentes nomes têm sido associados ao clássico SGB. Por fim, a síndrome das pernas inquietas (SPI), que por anos foi definida como síndrome de Ekbom, e que na atualidade foi definida como SPI/síndrome de Willis-Ekbom.

neurology - eponyms - history of neurology
neurologia - epçnimos - história da neurologia


Publication History

Received: 15 January 2016

Accepted: 10 February 2016

Article published online:
06 September 2023

© 2023. Academia Brasileira de Neurologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda.
Rua do Matoso 170, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 20270-135, Brazil

 

  • References

  • 1 Okun MS. Neurological eponyms: who gets the credit? Essay review. J Hist Neurosci. 2003;12(1):91-103. doi:10.1076/jhin.12.1.91.13779
  • 2 Macaskill MR, Anderson TJ. Whose name is it anyway? Varying patterns of possessive usage in eponymous neurodegenerative diseases. PeerJ. 2013;1:e67. doi:10.7717/peerj.67
  • 3 Teive HAG, Munhoz RP, Barbosa ER. Professor Karl-Axel Ekbom and restless legs syndrome. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2009;15(4):254-7. doi:10.1016/j.parkreldis.2008.07.011
  • 4 Garcia-Borreguero D, Kohnen R, Silber MH, Winkelman JW, Earley CJ, Högl B et al. The long-term treatment of restless legs syndrome/Willis-Ekbom disease: evidence-based guidelines and clinical consensus best practice guidance: a report from the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group. Sleep Med. 2013/14;14(7):675-84. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2013.05.016
  • 5 Hogarth P. Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation: diagnosis and management. J. Mov Disord. 2015;8(1):1-13. doi:10.14802/jmd.14034
  • 6 Shevell M. The declining use of the Hallervorden-Spatz eponym. J Child Neurol. 2012;27(10):1308-9. doi:10.1177/0883073812454575
  • 7 Wijdicks EF, Ropper AH. The Guillain-Barré syndrome. In: Koehler PJ, Bruyn GW, Pearce JMS. Neurological eponyms. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2000. p. 219-26.
  • 8 King EG, Jacobs H. “Complications” of the Landry-Guillain-Barré-Strohl syndrome. Can Med Assoc J. 1971;104(5):393-8.
  • 9 Goetz CG. Charcot’s disease: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In: Koehler PJ, Bruyn GW, Pearce JMS. Neurological eponyms. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2000. p. 269-76.
  • 10 Charcot JM. Lecture XIII. On amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Symptomatology. In: Sigerson G. Lectures on the diseases of the nervous system. New York: Hafner; 1962. p. 192-204.