Carl Behr
Encyclopedia
Carl Julius Peter Behr was a German ophthalmologist born in Hamburg
. In 1909 he described an hereditary syndrome of optic and neurologic disorders now known as Behr's syndrome
.
After attending several universities in Germany, he obtained his medical doctorate from the University of Kiel
in 1900. Later he was an intern and assistant-physician at Eppendorf and St. Georg's hospitals in Hamburg. In 1910 he was habilitated for ophthalmology at Kiel
, where in 1916 he became an associate professor. In 1923 he was appointed to the chair of ophthalmology in Hamburg.
Behr specialized in the study of neuro-ophthalmological
disorders, making contributions in his research involving the pathological processes in papilloedema and tabetic optic atrophy. His name is lent to "Behr's pupil", a slightly dilated pupil
in association with an optic tract
lesion
that is usually associated with a contralateral hemiparesis
.
, lues cerebrospinalis
and multiple sclerosis
. Other noteworthy written works by Behr include:
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. In 1909 he described an hereditary syndrome of optic and neurologic disorders now known as Behr's syndrome
Behr's syndrome
Behr syndrome is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder named after Carl Behr, who first described it in 1909.Although it is an autosomal recessive disorder, heterozygotes may still manifest much attenuated symptoms.-Diagnosis:...
.
After attending several universities in Germany, he obtained his medical doctorate from the University of Kiel
University of Kiel
The University of Kiel is a university in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was founded in 1665 as the Academia Holsatorum Chiloniensis by Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and has approximately 23,000 students today...
in 1900. Later he was an intern and assistant-physician at Eppendorf and St. Georg's hospitals in Hamburg. In 1910 he was habilitated for ophthalmology at Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, where in 1916 he became an associate professor. In 1923 he was appointed to the chair of ophthalmology in Hamburg.
Behr specialized in the study of neuro-ophthalmological
Neuro-ophthalmology
Neuro-ophthalmology is the subspecialty of both neurology and ophthalmology concerning visual problems that are related to the nervous system ....
disorders, making contributions in his research involving the pathological processes in papilloedema and tabetic optic atrophy. His name is lent to "Behr's pupil", a slightly dilated pupil
Pupil
The pupil is a hole located in the center of the iris of the eye that allows light to enter the retina. It appears black because most of the light entering the pupil is absorbed by the tissues inside the eye. In humans the pupil is round, but other species, such as some cats, have slit pupils. In...
in association with an optic tract
Optic tract
The optic tract is a part of the visual system in the brain.It is a continuation of the optic nerve and runs from the optic chiasm to the lateral geniculate nucleus....
lesion
Lesion
A lesion is any abnormality in the tissue of an organism , usually caused by disease or trauma. Lesion is derived from the Latin word laesio which means injury.- Types :...
that is usually associated with a contralateral hemiparesis
Hemiparesis
Hemiparesis is weakness on one side of the body. It is less severe than hemiplegia - the total paralysis of the arm, leg, and trunk on one side of the body. Thus, the patient can move the impaired side of his body, but with reduced muscular strength....
.
Written works
Among his scientific publications was Der Augenbefund in seiner diagnostischen und differentialdiagnostischen Bedeutung bei Tabes dorsalis, Lues cerebrospinalis, Multipler Sklerose (1936), a neuro-ophthalmological analysis of eye disorders and their differential diagnostic relevance in tabes dorsalisTabes dorsalis
Tabes dorsalis is a slow degeneration of the sensory neurons that carry afferent information. The degenerating nerves are in the dorsal columns of the spinal cord and carry information that help maintain a person's sense of position , vibration, and discriminative touch.-Cause:Tabes dorsalis is...
, lues cerebrospinalis
Neurosyphilis
Neurosyphilis is an infection of the brain or spinal cord caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It usually occurs in people who have had untreated syphilis for many years, usually about 10 - 20 years after first infection.-Symptoms and signs:...
and multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
. Other noteworthy written works by Behr include:
- Die Lehre von den Pupillenbewegungen Berlin, (1925)
- Lider-Tränensekretion, Trigeminus, Pupille, Akkomodation, Heterochromie, Sympathikus (with Hermann WilbrandHermann WilbrandHermann Wilbrand was a German ophthalmologist born in Giessen. Wilbrand's father and grandfather were also physicians....
- 1851-1935). In: Handbuch der Neurologie des Auges, 1st supplementary volume, Munich 1927