You are here

Article Text

Article menu
Download PDFPDF
Short report
Neurology in ancient faces
  1. O Appenzellera,
  2. J M Stevensb,
  3. R Kruszynskic,
  4. S Walkerd
  1. aNew Mexico Health Enhancement and Marathon Clinics Research Foundation, 361 Big Horn Ridge, NE Albuquerque, NM 87122–1424, USA, bNational Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Lysholm Department of Radiology, Queen Square, London, UK, cHuman Origins Group, Department of Palaeontology, Natural History Museum, London, UK, dThe British Museum, Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London, UK
  1. Dr O Appenzellerottoarun12{at}aol.com

Abstract

BACKGROUND Clinical paleoneurology is almost non-existent, but recognition of neurological diseases in ancient people might be possible by scrutinising portraits apparently representing people as they appeared in life.

METHODS About 200 mummy portraits painted in colour at the beginning of the first millennium were examined. Thirty two skulls excavated at Hawara in the Fayum (northern Egypt), where most of the portraits were found were measured, and nine caliper measures on each side of the skulls were taken. The right/left ratios were statistically analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA). One skull was subjected to 3D CT scanning and transilluminated.

RESULTS Two patients were found with progressive facial hemiatrophy (Parry-Romberg syndrome), three with deviations of the visual axes (tropia) and one with oval pupils (corectopia).

CONCLUSIONS Clinical paleoneurology is possible in the absence of a living nervous system. The patients probably had focal epilepsy, hemiplegic migraine, and autonomic nervous system dysfunction.

  • clinical paleoneurology
  • mummy portraits
  • progressive facial hemiatrophy
  • tropia
  • autonomic nervous system

https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.70.4.524

Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

    View Full Text

    Footnotes