Alexis Joffroy
Encyclopedia
Alix Joffroy was a French
neurologist
and psychiatrist
remembered for describing Joffroy's sign
. He studied in Paris
, earning his doctorate in 1873, becoming médecin des hôpitaux in 1879 and agrégé
in 1880. He worked at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital
from 1885 and became professor of clinical psychiatry in 1893.
Jean-Martin Charcot
encouraged him to study neurology, and together they demonstrated atrophy
of anterior horn cells
in the spinal cord
in poliomyelitis
in 1869.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
neurologist
Neurologist
A neurologist is a physician who specializes in neurology, and is trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders.Neurology is the medical specialty related to the human nervous system. The nervous system encompasses the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. A specialist...
and psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
remembered for describing Joffroy's sign
Joffroy's sign
Joffroy's sign is a clinical sign in which there is a lack of wrinkling of the forehead when a patient looks up with the head bent forwards. It occurs in patients with exophthalmos in Graves disease.The sign is named after Alexis Joffroy....
. He studied in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, earning his doctorate in 1873, becoming médecin des hôpitaux in 1879 and agrégé
Agrégation
In France, the agrégation is a civil service competitive examination for some positions in the public education system. The laureates are known as agrégés...
in 1880. He worked at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital
Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital
The Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital is a teaching hospital located in Paris, France. Part of the Assistance publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, it is one of Europe's largest hospitals...
from 1885 and became professor of clinical psychiatry in 1893.
Jean-Martin Charcot
Jean-Martin Charcot
Jean-Martin Charcot was a French neurologist and professor of anatomical pathology. He is known as "the founder of modern neurology" and is "associated with at least 15 medical eponyms", including Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis...
encouraged him to study neurology, and together they demonstrated atrophy
Atrophy
Atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body. Causes of atrophy include mutations , poor nourishment, poor circulation, loss of hormonal support, loss of nerve supply to the target organ, disuse or lack of exercise or disease intrinsic to the tissue itself...
of anterior horn cells
Anterior horn (spinal cord)
The anterior horn of the spinal cord is the ventral grey matter section of the spinal cord. The anterior horn contains motor neurons that affect the axial muscles while the posterior horn receives information regarding touch and sensation...
in the spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
in poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route...
in 1869.