Désiré-Magloire Bourneville and his contributions to pediatric neurology

Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2019 May 13;77(4):289-291. doi: 10.1590/0004-282X20190009.

Abstract

Désiré-Magloire Bourneville ought to be thought of as the father of Pediatric Neurology for his significant contributions to the field. He worked as a physician, politician, writer, and editor. He was the first to describe the autosomal dominant genetic condition known as "tuberous sclerosis complex", after conducting an autopsy on a young female patient, where the main finding in the central nervous system was multiple dense tubers. The patient had refractory epilepsy and intellectual disability. His work was based on the study of epilepsy and idiocy, and he was also an advocate of public health and social medicine education; creating day hospital programs for children with this type of neurologic disease.

Publication types

  • Biography
  • Historical Article
  • Portrait

MeSH terms

  • Epilepsy / history
  • France
  • History, 19th Century
  • History, 20th Century
  • Humans
  • Neurology / history*
  • Pediatrics / history*
  • Tuberous Sclerosis / history

Personal name as subject

  • Désiré-Magloire Bourneville