Fritz E. Dreifuss
Encyclopedia
Fritz E. Dreifuss, MD was a German-born, American neurologist and subspecialist in epilepsy
based at the University of Virginia
in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
in Dunedin, New Zealand. He studied neurology in a fellowship at Queen’s Square Hospital in London, England.
. During his first faculty year, he simultaneously worked as a medical intern at a regional hospital to be eligible for a Virginia medical license.
. Although the emphasis was on epilepsy, patients with a wide range of neurological disorders were served. Three Appalachian field clinics in Tazewell, Wise, and Bristol, Virginia continue to be staffed by University of Virginia neurologists.
In the 1960s he and several colleagues in the US, especially Kiffin Penry, created the concept of subspecialty epilepsy care represented as the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program. This approach gathered clinical neurologists, pediatric neurologists, electrophysiologists, specialized nursing, educational consultants, and psychologists with the common mission of epilepsy care. In 1974 Dreifuss competed successfully for an NIH-sponsored grant for the formation of a comprehensive epilepsy center, forming one of the three original centers in the US. An integral part of a comprehensive epilepsy center was the development of feasible long-term monitoring methods with the use of simultaneous video-EEG
in order to best diagnose and characterize epileptic seizures. With electrophysiology colleagues, Dreifuss aided in the development of the video-EEG
system and was one of its early adopters in clinical epilepsy research .
Although his specialty was epilepsy
, Dreifuss published extensively in clinical descriptions within other neurological fields. In 1961 Dreifuss and colleagues described a family with form of muscular dystrophy distinct from more severe Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies. This syndrome is now designated Emery–Dreifuss muscular dystrophy.
Dreifuss used these techniques and others in the process of development of anticonvulsant medications for use in absence epilepsy as well as in other epileptic conditions. He was instrumental in the first publications in the use of sodium valproate
in the US in 1976, and in 1996 described those at most risk for side effects in the use of this medication.
, Dreifuss achieved full the title of full Professor of Neurology in 1968 and was awarded the first T.R. Johns
Chair of Neurology in 1990 and the Worrel Chair in 1993. He was nominated as Vice Chair of the department in 1974 and served as interim chair in the department’s transition from the leadership of T.R. Johns
to G. Frederick Wooten.
He was president of the American Epilepsy Society in 1978, Chairman of the Professional Advisor Board of the Epilepsy Foundation of America (EFA) from 1978 to 1980, President of EFA from 1983 to 1985, Chairman of the Board of EFA from 1987 to 1989, secretary-general of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) from 1981 to 1985, and President of ILAE from 1985 to 1989. He, in collaboration with colleague Soo Ik Lee
taught a variety of fellows in clinical epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology. He was named an Ambassador for Epilepsy in 1979, was the winner of the William G. Lennox
Award of AES in 1983, and was the AES Lennox lecturer in 1986. He received the AES Distinguished Clinical Investigator Award in 1991 and the ILAE Epileptology Prize in 1995. He received the EFA 25th Anniversary Award in 1993. The American Academy of Neurology
posthumously designated the annual Dreifuss-Penry Award for outstanding career contributions in epileptology.
, an Australian industrial pop group active in the 1980s, released on their 1983 album “Since the Accident” a cut entitled “Epilepsy ‘82”. This song featured a recording of one of Dreifuss’ lectures on the classification of the epilepsies as background.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
based at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
Early life
He was born in Dresden, Germany. Escaping persecution of the Jews in the 1930s, his family moved to South Africa and later to New Zealand.Education
His undergraduate education was at Wanganui Collegiate School in Wanganui, New Zealand and his medical degree from the University of OtagoUniversity of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
in Dunedin, New Zealand. He studied neurology in a fellowship at Queen’s Square Hospital in London, England.
Early career
In 1959 he was hired as a faculty neurologist at the University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
. During his first faculty year, he simultaneously worked as a medical intern at a regional hospital to be eligible for a Virginia medical license.
Clinical Practice and the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center
Dreifuss’ clinical and research career centered on the evaluation and treatment of epilepsy in children and adults. In 1959, he was named head of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Child Neurology Program. To fulfill this mission, he formed a series of satellite field clinics around the Commonwealth to provide state-of-the-art neurological care in regions remote from main medical centers at a time when neurologists were few. He maintained this clinics throughout his career in collaboration with colleague James Q. MillerJames Q. Miller
James Q. Miller, MD was an American neurologist and educator in neurology based at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.-Early life and education:...
. Although the emphasis was on epilepsy, patients with a wide range of neurological disorders were served. Three Appalachian field clinics in Tazewell, Wise, and Bristol, Virginia continue to be staffed by University of Virginia neurologists.
In the 1960s he and several colleagues in the US, especially Kiffin Penry, created the concept of subspecialty epilepsy care represented as the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program. This approach gathered clinical neurologists, pediatric neurologists, electrophysiologists, specialized nursing, educational consultants, and psychologists with the common mission of epilepsy care. In 1974 Dreifuss competed successfully for an NIH-sponsored grant for the formation of a comprehensive epilepsy center, forming one of the three original centers in the US. An integral part of a comprehensive epilepsy center was the development of feasible long-term monitoring methods with the use of simultaneous video-EEG
EEG
EEG commonly refers to electroencephalography, a measurement of the electrical activity of the brain.EEG may also refer to:* Emperor Entertainment Group, a Hong Kong-based entertainment company...
in order to best diagnose and characterize epileptic seizures. With electrophysiology colleagues, Dreifuss aided in the development of the video-EEG
EEG
EEG commonly refers to electroencephalography, a measurement of the electrical activity of the brain.EEG may also refer to:* Emperor Entertainment Group, a Hong Kong-based entertainment company...
system and was one of its early adopters in clinical epilepsy research .
Although his specialty was epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
, Dreifuss published extensively in clinical descriptions within other neurological fields. In 1961 Dreifuss and colleagues described a family with form of muscular dystrophy distinct from more severe Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies. This syndrome is now designated Emery–Dreifuss muscular dystrophy.
Clinical research
With collaborator Kiffen Penry and others and with the use of advanced video-EEG techniques, Dreifuss investigated the correlations between the clinical symptoms of absence seizures and their accompaniments on EEG. Dreifuss established that the generalized, 3Hz, spike-wave discharge is accompanied by loss of attention and, sometimes, minor motor automatisms; even brief discharges have momentary clinical significance. Accordingly, treatment of absence epilepsy could be accurately measured by tracking the amount of spike-wave discharges captured via EEGDreifuss used these techniques and others in the process of development of anticonvulsant medications for use in absence epilepsy as well as in other epileptic conditions. He was instrumental in the first publications in the use of sodium valproate
Sodium valproate
Sodium valproate or valproate sodium is the sodium salt of valproic acid and is an anticonvulsant used in the treatment of epilepsy, anorexia nervosa, panic attack, anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, migraine and bipolar disorder, as well as other psychiatric conditions requiring...
in the US in 1976, and in 1996 described those at most risk for side effects in the use of this medication.
Classification of the epilepsies
Arguably his most important contribution was to head the international commission for standardization of terminology and classification of the epilepsies His classification, arrived at through a combination of clinical relevance and diplomacy, stands still as the international standard. The standardization of terms have allowed research protocols and clinical practice to discuss the epilepsies in a common language.Awards, offices, and recognitions
At the University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, Dreifuss achieved full the title of full Professor of Neurology in 1968 and was awarded the first T.R. Johns
T.R. Johns
T. R. Johns, MD was an American neurologist, a subspecialist in neuromuscular disease, and a clinical researcher on myasthenia gravis based at the University of Virginia. Johns founded the Department of Neurology in 1967 and was its first chairman....
Chair of Neurology in 1990 and the Worrel Chair in 1993. He was nominated as Vice Chair of the department in 1974 and served as interim chair in the department’s transition from the leadership of T.R. Johns
T.R. Johns
T. R. Johns, MD was an American neurologist, a subspecialist in neuromuscular disease, and a clinical researcher on myasthenia gravis based at the University of Virginia. Johns founded the Department of Neurology in 1967 and was its first chairman....
to G. Frederick Wooten.
He was president of the American Epilepsy Society in 1978, Chairman of the Professional Advisor Board of the Epilepsy Foundation of America (EFA) from 1978 to 1980, President of EFA from 1983 to 1985, Chairman of the Board of EFA from 1987 to 1989, secretary-general of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) from 1981 to 1985, and President of ILAE from 1985 to 1989. He, in collaboration with colleague Soo Ik Lee
Soo Ik Lee
Soo Ik Lee, MD was a Korean-born American neurologist and a subspecialist in clinical neurophysiology based at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.-Career:He graduated medical school in Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea in 1958...
taught a variety of fellows in clinical epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology. He was named an Ambassador for Epilepsy in 1979, was the winner of the William G. Lennox
William G. Lennox
William Gordon Lennox was an American neurologist who was a pioneer in the use of electroencephalography for the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy.-Biography:...
Award of AES in 1983, and was the AES Lennox lecturer in 1986. He received the AES Distinguished Clinical Investigator Award in 1991 and the ILAE Epileptology Prize in 1995. He received the EFA 25th Anniversary Award in 1993. The American Academy of Neurology
American Academy of Neurology
The American Academy of Neurology is a professional society for neurologists and neuroscientists. As a medical specialty society it was established in 1949 by A.B. Baker of the University of Minnesota to advance the art and science of neurology, and thereby promote the best possible care for...
posthumously designated the annual Dreifuss-Penry Award for outstanding career contributions in epileptology.
Pop Culture References
The Severed HeadsSevered Heads
Severed Heads is an Australian electronic music group based and founded in Sydney in 1979 as Mr. and Mrs. No Smoking Sign. The original members were Richard Fielding and Andrew Wright, and were soon joined by Tom Ellard. Fielding and Wright eventually left the group, leaving Ellard as a singular...
, an Australian industrial pop group active in the 1980s, released on their 1983 album “Since the Accident” a cut entitled “Epilepsy ‘82”. This song featured a recording of one of Dreifuss’ lectures on the classification of the epilepsies as background.