Joseph Babinski
Joseph Jules François Félix Babinski (1857-1932) was a French neurologist.
1902, Babinski coined the term dysdiodochokinesis to describe the inability to perform rapid execution of movements requiring alternate contractions of agonist and antagonist muscles. Originally diadococinésie from the Greek diadocho (“alternating”) and kinesie (“movements”)
In 1899 Babinski observed that patients with cerebellar lesions could not execute complex movements without breaking down into their elemental movements (dysmetria). He introduced the term asynergia as a major deficit in cerebellar disease in 1899 as the “inability to carry out complex movements involving the harmonious cooperation of separate muscle groups”
Biography
- Born on November 17, 1857 in Paris, France
- Died on October 29, 1932
Medical Eponyms
Anton-Babinski syndrome (Anton syndrome) – in the presence of complete blindness, a persistent confabulation and denial by the patient that there is any loss of visual perception
Babinski sign I (Babinski reflex) – pathological reflex where the great toe extends and flexes toward the top of the foot and the other toes fan out when the sole of the foot is firmly stroked.
Babinski sign II (Babinski ear phenomenon) Galvanic test for unilateral hearing disturbance
Babinski’s sign III – the loss or lessening of the Achilles tendon reflex. A sign of sciatica, used to differentiate it from hyteric sciatica
Babinski syndrome (Babinski-Vaquez syndrome) anisocoria may result from a syphilitic aneurysm of the aorta
Babinski-Nageotte syndrome – unilateral bulbar affections with lesions of the medullobulbar transitional region. Cerebellar hemiataxia, contralateral hemiparesis, enophthalmos, ptosis, and miosis
Major Publications
- Babinski J. De l’asynergie cérébelleuse. Revue Neurologique 1899; 7: 784-785 [Asynergia]
- Babinski J. De l’influence des lésions de l’appareil auditif sur le vertige voltaïque [On the influence of auditory system lesions on voltaic vertigo] Comptes rendus des séances de la Société de biologie et de ses filiales. 1901;53: 77-80. [Babinski ear phenomenon]
- Babinski J. Des troubles pupillaires dans les anévrismes de l’aorte, Société Médicale des hôpitaux de Paris, 1901; 18: 1121. [Babinski syndrome]
- Babinski J. Sur le role du cervelat dans actes volitionnels nécessitant une sucession rapide de mouvemets (Diadococnésie). Revue Neurologique 1902; 10: 1013–1015 [dysdiodochokinesis]
- Babinski J, Nageotte J. Hémiasynergie, latéropulsion et miosis bulbaire. Nouvelle iconographie de la Salpêtrière, 1902: 492. [Babinski-Nageotte syndrome]
- Babinski J. Contribution a l’étude des troubles mentaux dans l’hémiplégie organique (anosognosie). Revue Neurologique, 1914; 27: 845-848. [Anton-Babinski syndrome]
- Babinski J, Froment J. Hystérie-pithiatisme et troubles nerveux d’ordre réflexe en neurologie de guerre. Paris : Masson et Cie. 1917
- Babinski J. Anosognosie. Revue Neurologique, 1918; 31(1): 365-367.
- Babinski J. Un nouveau cas d’anosognosie. Revue Neurologique, 1924; 40(2): 638-640.
- Babinski J. Sur le réflexe cutané plantaire dans certaines affections organiques du système nerveux central. Comptes rendus des séances de la Société de biologie et de ses filiales 1896; 48: 207–08. [Babinski sign]
References
Biography
- Fresquet JL. Joseph François Félix Babinski (1852-1932). Historia de la Medicina.
Eponymous terms
- Koehler PJ, Bruyn GW, Pearce JMS. Neurological Eponyms. Oxford University Press 2000: 113-118
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Final year MBBS student at Curtin Medical School. Keen interest in internal medicine and neurology, medical education, and integrating specialist healthcare into rural medical practice.
