Charles Sherrington
Sir Charles Scott Sherrington (1857-1952) was an English neurophysiologist.
Sir Charles Scott Sherrington was a British neurophysiologist whose pioneering experimental research laid the foundation of modern neuroscience. Renowned for his discoveries on reflex function, synaptic integration, and the neuroanatomical organization of movement, Sherrington coined the term “synapse” and proposed the integrative action of the nervous system. He shared the 1932 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Edgar Douglas Adrian (1889–1977) for their discoveries regarding the functions of neurons.
Born 1857, in Islington, London, Sherrington was raised in a culturally rich household by his mother, Anne Thurtell, and stepfather, Caleb Rose (1827–1903), a physician and classical scholar. Though official biographies claimed James Norton Sherrington as his father, recent scholarship suggests Charles and his brothers were likely the illegitimate sons of Rose. Sherrington was educated at Ipswich School and later at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he studied under Sir Michael Foster (1836–1907), John Newport Langley (1852–1921), and Walter Holbrook Gaskell (1847–1923). He also studied pathology and bacteriology with Rudolf Virchow (1821–1902) and Robert Koch (1843–1910).
His early work addressed spinal reflexes, cortical localisation, and neuromuscular physiology. He served as Professor at the University of Liverpool (1895–1913) and later held the Waynflete Chair of Physiology at Oxford University (1913–1936). Sherrington’s masterpiece, The integrative action of the nervous system (1906), established neuron theory and introduced the concept of proprioception. He meticulously mapped dermatomes and myotomes, demonstrating segmental organization and reciprocal innervation. His work deeply influenced peers and students, including Harvey Cushing (1869–1939) and Wilder Penfield (1891–1976).
Sherrington was a celebrated teacher, writer, and philosopher. He published poetry and authored the reflective work Man on his nature (1940), exploring consciousness and natural theology. He was knighted in 1922, awarded the Order of Merit in 1924, and held honorary doctorates from 22 universities. Sherrington died on March 4, 1952, in Eastbourne, aged 94.
Biography
- 1857 – Born November 27 in Islington, London.
- 1871 – Entered Ipswich School.
- 1876 – Began medical studies at St. Thomas’s Hospital.
- 1879 – Entered Cambridge as non-collegiate student; joined Gonville and Caius College in 1880.
- 1881 – First scientific publication with Langley on cortical localization.
- 1884–1885 – Studied with Friedrich Goltz (1834–1902) in Strasbourg.
- 1885 – MB, Cambridge; investigated cholera outbreak in Spain.
- 1886–1887 – Studied with Virchow and Koch in Berlin.
- 1887 – Elected Fellow of Gonville and Caius; Lecturer at St Thomas’.
- 1891 – Appointed Professor and Superintendent, Brown Institute.
- 1895 – Appointed Professor of Physiology, University of Liverpool.
- 1906 – Published The Integrative Action of the Nervous System.
- 1913 – Became Waynflete Professor of Physiology, Oxford.
- 1922 – Knighted; awarded GBE.
- 1924 – Awarded the Order of Merit.
- 1932 – Shared Nobel Prize with Edgar Adrian.
- 1936 – Retired from Oxford.
- 1940 – Published Man on His Nature.
- 1952 – Died March 4 in Eastbourne.
Eponyms
Sherrington’s Laws (1897–1900)
Defined segmental and reciprocal organization within the spinal cord. These concepts form the core of spinal neurophysiology and are integral to physical examination and rehabilitation therapies.
- Sherrington’s First Law – Each posterior spinal root supplies a defined skin area with overlap.
- Sherrington’s Second Law (Reciprocal Innervation) – Activation of a muscle inhibits its antagonist.
Liddell–Sherrington Reflex (1924)
Co-described with Edward G.T. Liddell (1895–1981), this reflex demonstrates muscle tone as an adaptive response, foundational for understanding muscle spindle function. Tonic contraction of the muscles in response to its being stretched. When a muscle lengthens beyond a certain point, the myotatic reflex causes it to tighten and attempt to shorten.
The term “myotatic reflex” was coined by William Richard Gowers (1845-1915) in the 1880’s.
Schiff–Sherrington Phenomenon
Forelimb extension after spinal cord transection. Rigid extension of the forelimbs after damage to the spine. Usually a grave sign in animals with paradoxical respiration – the intercostal muscles are paralysed and the chest is drawn passively in and out by the diaphragm
Vulpian–Heidenhain–Sherrington Phenomenon
Contraction of denervated muscle via autonomic vasculature. Links vascular innervation to skeletal muscle excitability, bridging autonomic and somatic physiology.
Key Medical Contributions
Synapse and Integrative Action Sherrington introduced the term “synapse” in 1897 to describe the junction between two neurons. His concept emphasized the directionality and physiological importance of synaptic transmission. In The Integrative Action of the Nervous System (1906), he synthesized decades of reflex and motor system research into a unified theory showing how the CNS orchestrates behavior through coordinated reflexes and central inhibition.
Proprioception Coined by Sherrington, “proprioception” refers to sensory input from muscles, joints, and tendons that informs the brain about body position and movement. He identified muscle spindles as sensory organs, shifting focus from skin-based perception to deep internal sense. This discovery transformed understanding of motor control and body schema.
Reciprocal Innervation (Sherrington’s Second Law) Sherrington’s studies on antagonistic muscles led to his formulation of reciprocal innervation: when one muscle contracts, its antagonist is inhibited. This principle is foundational for understanding coordinated movement and underlies modern neurorehabilitation.
Cortical Localization Through experiments with Langley and observations from Ferrier and Goltz debates, Sherrington contributed early evidence supporting the localization of motor functions in the cortex. Later work with Leyton and apes provided detailed motor maps that prefigured Penfield’s human cortex models.
Dermatomes and Myotomes Sherrington’s meticulous root-section studies in animals mapped the sensory dermatomes and motor myotomes of the spinal cord. These segmental maps remain foundational in clinical neurology and were influential in wartime medicine and neuroanatomy.
Major Publications
- Sherrington CS. Note on the functional and structural arrangement of efferent fibres in the nerve-roots of the lumbo-sacral plexus. 1892
- Sherrington CS. Notes on the arrangement of some motor fibres in the lumbo-sacral plexus. 1892
- Sherrington CS. Note on the knee-jerk and the correlation of action of antagonistic muscles. 1893
- Sherrington CS. II. Experiments in examination of the peripheral distribution the fibres of the posterior roots of some spinal nerves. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B 1898; 190: 45–186
- Sherrington CS. Decerebrate Rigidity, and Reflex Coordination of Movements. J Physiol. 1898 Feb 17;22(4):319-32.
- Sherrington CS. The integrative action of the nervous system. 1906
- Sherrington CS. Mammalian physiology; a course of practical exercises. 1919
- Liddell EGT, Sherrington CS. Reflexes in response to stretch (myotatic reflexes). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, 1924; 86: 212-242 [Liddell–Sherrington Reflex]
- Sherrington CS. Second Listerian oration. 1927
- Sherrington CS. Inhibition as a Coordinative Factor. Nobel Lecture, December 12, 1932 [Nobel Prize]
- Sherrington CS. Man on his nature. 1946
References
Biography
- Douglas AE. Sir Charles Scott Sherrington, O. M. 1857-1952. Notes Rec. R. Soc. Lond. 1957; 12(2): 211–215
- Sir Charles Sherrington. NobelPrize
Eponymous terms
- Pearce JM. Sir Charles Scott Sherrington (1857-1952) and the synapse. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2004 Apr;75(4):544
Eponym
the person behind the name
