Epilepsy Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Epilepsy, including details on symptoms, causes, treatment, drugs, information.

Victor Horsley's contribution to Jacksonian epileptology.

Eadie MJ

Department of Medicine, University of Queensland, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.

PURPOSE: To describe Victor Horsley's contribution to John Hughlings Jackson's understanding of the mechanisms involved in the generalization of convulsive epileptic seizures. METHODS: I reviewed Horsley's writings and other relevant late 19th century medical literature. RESULTS: Horsley's combination of strategically sited surgical lesions and cerebral cortex stimulation studies in experimental animals showed that, contrary to Hughlings Jackson's earlier belief, epileptic activity arising in one cerebral hemisphere had to spread to the contralateral hemisphere before bilateral convulsing could occur. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of well-designed experiments, Horsley made a major contribution to the understanding of epileptic seizure propagation mechanisms.

Published 23 November 2005 in Epilepsia, 46(11): 1836-40.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Epilepsy Research Today. All Rights Reserved.