Hermann Wilbrand
Encyclopedia
Hermann Wilbrand was a German ophthalmologist born in Giessen. Wilbrand's father and grandfather were also physicians.
In 1875 he earned his doctorate at the University of Strassburg, and afterwards was an assistant to Ludwig Laqueur
(1839-1909) at Strassburg and to Carl Friedrich Richard Förster
(1825-1902) at Breslau. Later he moved to Hamburg
, where he became head of the Department of Ophthalmology at Allgemeines Hospital in 1905.
Wilbrand specialized in the field of neuro-ophthalmology
and did extensive research involving the pathology
and physiology
of the eye. He demonstrated that homonymous hemianopsia
was caused by lesions in the occipital lobe
and optic radiation
as well as the optic tract
.
In 1875 he earned his doctorate at the University of Strassburg, and afterwards was an assistant to Ludwig Laqueur
Ludwig Laqueur
Ludwig Laqueur was a German ophthalmologist born in Festenberg, Silesia. He was the father of historian Richard Laqueur ....
(1839-1909) at Strassburg and to Carl Friedrich Richard Förster
Carl Friedrich Richard Förster
Carl Friedrich Richard Förster was a German ophthalmologist who was born in the town of Lissa . He received his medical doctorate in 1849, and for most of his career was associated with the University of Breslau...
(1825-1902) at Breslau. Later he moved to Hamburg
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...
, where he became head of the Department of Ophthalmology at Allgemeines Hospital in 1905.
Wilbrand specialized in the field of neuro-ophthalmology
Neuro-ophthalmology
Neuro-ophthalmology is the subspecialty of both neurology and ophthalmology concerning visual problems that are related to the nervous system ....
and did extensive research involving the pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
and physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
of the eye. He demonstrated that homonymous hemianopsia
Homonymous hemianopsia
Hemianopsia or hemianopia is visual field loss that respects the vertical midline, and usually affects both eyes, but can involve one eye only. Homonymous hemianopsia, or homonymous hemianopia occurs when there is hemianopic visual field loss on the same side of both eyes...
was caused by lesions in the occipital lobe
Occipital lobe
The occipital lobe is the visual processing center of the mammalian brain containing most of the anatomical region of the visual cortex. The primary visual cortex is Brodmann area 17, commonly called V1...
and optic radiation
Optic radiation
The optic radiation is a collection of axons from relay neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus carrying visual information to the visual cortex along the calcarine fissure.There is one such tract on each side of the brain.-Parts:A distinctive...
as well as the 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....
.
Associated eponyms
- Wilbrand's knee: A group of extramacularMaculaThe macula or macula lutea is an oval-shaped highly pigmented yellow spot near the center of the retina of the human eye. It has a diameter of around 5 mm and is often histologically defined as having two or more layers of ganglion cells...
ganglion cellGanglion cellA retinal ganglion cell is a type of neuron located near the inner surface of the retina of the eye. It receives visual information from photoreceptors via two intermediate neuron types: bipolar cells and amacrine cells...
axonAxonAn axon is a long, slender projection of a nerve cell, or neuron, that conducts electrical impulses away from the neuron's cell body or soma....
s that extend forward into the posterior optic nerveOptic nerveThe optic nerve, also called cranial nerve 2, transmits visual information from the retina to the brain. Derived from the embryonic retinal ganglion cell, a diverticulum located in the diencephalon, the optic nerve doesn't regenerate after transection.-Anatomy:The optic nerve is the second of...
. - Charcot-Wilbrand syndrome: Syndrome involving visual agnosiaVisual agnosiaVisual agnosia is the inability of the brain to make sense of or make use of some part of otherwise normal visual stimulus and is typified by the inability to recognize familiar objects or faces...
and the inability to re-visualize images. Condition due to occlusionOcclusionOcclusion may refer to:* Occlusion , the manner in which the upper and lower teeth come together when the mouth is closed* Occlusion effect, an audio phenomenon that occurs when one closes the opening into the ear canal and the loudness of low pitched sounds increases* Occlusion miliaria, a skin...
of the posterior cerebral arteryArteryArteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. This blood is normally oxygenated, exceptions made for the pulmonary and umbilical arteries....
of the dominant hemisphere. Named with French neurologistNeurologistA 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...
Jean-Martin CharcotJean-Martin CharcotJean-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...
(1825-1893).
Written works
- Die hemianopischen Gesichtsfeldformen und das optische Wahrnehmungscentrum. Wiesbaden, 1890.
- Über Sehstörungen bei funktionellen Nervenleiden. with Alfred Saenger (1860-1921) Leipzig, 1892.
- Die Erhohlungsausdehnung des Gesichtsfeldes. Wiesbaden, (1896).
- Über die Augenerkrankungen in der Frühperiode der Syphilis. with Staelin. Hamburg and Leipzig, 1897.
- Die Neurologie des Auges: ein Handbuch für Nerven- und Augenärtze. (with Alfred Saenger; 9 volumes). Wiesbaden, 1900-1922.
- Die Theorie des Sehens. with Carl BehrCarl BehrCarl 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....
(1876-1943) (supplementary volume, 1927), Wiesbaden, 1913. - Der Faservelauf durch das Chiasma und die intrakraniellen Sehnerven. Berlin, 1929.