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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2017; 75(12): 890-891
DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X20170140
Historical Note

Pan, Syrinx and syringomyelia

Pan, Syrinx e siringomielia
Leonardo Palacios-Sánchez
1   Universidad del Rosario, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Neuroscience Research Group (Neuros), Neuroscience Department, Bogotá, Colombia
,
Juan Sebastián Botero-Meneses
1   Universidad del Rosario, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Neuroscience Research Group (Neuros), Neuroscience Department, Bogotá, Colombia
,
María Camila Vélez-Flórez
2   Universidad del Rosario, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bogotá Colombia
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ABSTRACT

Many myths and legends have had a deep influence on modern language, and on modern medical vernacular. The terms “syrinx” and “panic”are two of the most characteristic examples and their use in neurology and other specialties is well known. This article reviews the history of these words in Greek mythology and their use in modern medicine. It is known by very few that clinical symptoms or conditions, such as syringomyelia and panic attacks, have a mythological origin in their definition and naming.

RESUMO

Muchos mitos y leyendas han tenido una profunda influencia sobre el lenguaje y el uso del argot médico moderno. Los términos “syrinx” y “pánico” son dos de los ejemplos más característicos y su uso en neurología y otras especialidades es bien conocido. Este artículo revisa la historia de estas palabras en la mitología griega y su uso en la medicina moderna. Es conocimiento de pocos que síntomas o condiciones como la siringomielia o los ataques de pánico, tienen un origen mitológico en su definición y denominación.

Keywords:

history of medicine - mythology - syringomyelia

Palavras-chave:

historia de la medicina - mitología - siringomielia


Publication History

Received: 28 March 2017

Accepted: 03 August 2017

Article published online:
01 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/)

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