'Pierre Marie' (born September 9, 1853, died April 13. 1940) was a French
neurologist, who began his medical career in 1878 as an assistant to the famous neurologist
Jean-Martin Charcot (1825-1893) at the
Salpêtrière and
Bicêtre Hospitals in Paris.
One of his earliest contributions was the description of a disorder of the
pituitary gland known as
acromegaly. His analysis of the disease was considered a pioneer contribution to a field of medicine later to be known as
endocrinology. Marie is also credited as the first to describe pulmonary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, and
rhizomelic spondylosis (inflammation of the spinal joints).
He is best known today for the
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease; named with Charcot and
Howard Henry Tooth (1856-1925). This disease is characterized by gradual progressive loss of muscle tissue in the legs, arms and feet. Today, it is regarded as the most common hereditary neurological disease.
The following are a few of the numerous eponymous diseases named after him:
★ 'Marie's ataxia': an hereditary disease of the nervous system, with
cerebellar ataxia.
★ 'Marie-Foix-Alajouanine syndrome':
cerebellar ataxia of the
cerebellum in the elderly; usually due to alcohol abuse. Named along with neurologists
Théophile Alajouanine (1890-1980) and
Charles Foix (1882-1927).
★ 'Marie's anarthria': inability to articulate words due to cerebral lesions.
★ 'Marie–Strümpel Disease': also known as
Ankylosing spondylitis; a severe arthritic spinal deformity. Named along with German neurologist
Adolph Strümpell (1853-1925). The disease can also be referred to as 'Bekhterev Disease'; named after Russian neurophysiologist
Vladimir Bekhterev (1857-1927).
★ 'Marie-Léri syndrome': hand deformity caused by
osteolysis of the articular surfaces of the fingers. Named with neurologist
André Léri (1875-1930).
Reference
★
Who Named It?