The Babinski sign in Renaissance paintings: the fallacy of mis-framed observations

Gilles de la Tourette was a prolific author from the time he started his medical studies; he published his first article in 1881. All of his publications are listed here, in chronological order, including the list of his books and journal articles. Also listed are theses he inspired as well as his article co-authors. The most important texts are analyzed, notably his book, Les états neurasthéniques, which includes a description of restless legs syndrome; “Benedikt syndrome,” co-authored with Jean-Baptiste Charcot, which is placed within the historical context of the condition’s isolation; Le traitement pratique de l’épilepsie, in which Gilles de la Tourette improved treatment by specifying the effective dose of bromide; and the debate between Babiński and Gilles de la Tourette that took place at a 1900 session of the Société de neurologie and pertained to the specificity of the Babiński sign.

Download Full-text

Clinical Signs

10.1093/med/9780199898152.003.0026 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

Aziz Shaibani

Keyword(s):

Video Recording ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Patient Report ◽

Babinski Sign ◽

Normal Response ◽

Response Facilitation ◽

Upper Motor Neuron Dysfunction ◽

Video Archives ◽

The Right ◽

Better Than

In clinical neuromuscular medicine, clinical signs are very important for elucidation of the right diagnosis. There is nothing better than videos to demonstrate these signs and their elicitation and significance. We selected several clinical signs from our video archives for this purpose. Babinski sign is an important clue to upper motor neuron dysfunction. Bell’s phenomenon is a normal response. Facilitation of reflexes is a strong indication of a presynaptic neuromuscular transmission disorder. By definition a sign is a clinical finding as opposed to a symptoms which is what the patient report. Some signs are transient and not captured during clinical examination. The advent of video recording ability to general public facilitate capturing of physical signs in videos.

Download Full-text

THE BABINSKI SIGN EXTINCTION DURING BILATERAL SIMULTANEOUS CUTANEOUS STIMULATION

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.1948.11.3.193 ◽

1948 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 193-197 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Robert Cohn

Keyword(s):

Babinski Sign ◽

Cutaneous Stimulation

Download Full-text

Relationship of Periodic Movements in Sleep (Nocturnal Myoclonus) and the Babinski Sign

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/8.3.239 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 239-243 ◽

Cited By ~ 49

Author(s):

Robert C. Smith

Keyword(s):

Babinski Sign ◽

Nocturnal Myoclonus ◽

Relationship Of

Download Full-text

The Babinski sign in Renaissance paintings—a reappraisal of the toe phenomenon in representations of the Christ Child: observational analysis

BMJ ◽

10.1136/bmj.m4556 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. m4556

Author(s):

François Sellal ◽

Laurent Tatu

Keyword(s):

Da Vinci ◽

Outcome Measure ◽

Leonardo Da Vinci ◽

Italian Renaissance ◽

Large Collection ◽

Babinski Sign ◽

Observational Analysis ◽

15Th Century ◽

Foot Sole Stimulation ◽

Stimulation Of

Abstract Objective To investigate systematically the presence of the Babinski sign in paintings of the Christ Child by the greatest painters of the Renaissance. Design Observational analysis. Setting Large collection of paintings depicting the Christ Child from Flemish, Rhenish, and Italian schools between 1400 and 1550 CE, searched using published catalogues and Google. Study sample 302 Renaissance paintings (by 19 painters) depicting the Christ Child. Main outcome measure Babinski sign, defined as a hallux extension with an amplitude greater than 30°. The presence of foot sole stimulation was also noted. Results An unquestionable upgoing toe was apparent in 90 (30%) of the 302 paintings. The Babinski sign was present in more than 60% of Christ Child paintings by Rogier van der Weyden, Hans Memling, Martin Schongauer, and Matthias Grünewald. A bilateral Babinski sign was observed in three paintings. Stimulation of the sole was noted in 48/90 (53%) paintings and was always present in paintings by Andrea del Verrocchio, Leonardo da Vinci, and Giorgione. No association existed between the presence of the Babinski sign and the period during which the painter was active. Conclusions Four main factors were noted in relation to the representation of the Babinski sign in paintings of the Christ Child: the physiological toe phenomenon in infants, the representation of the nudity of the Christ by painters during the 15th century to demonstrate the incarnation, Renaissance painters’ need for precise observation of anatomy, and the desire of some Rhenish and Flemish painters to depict very realistic details. Italian Renaissance painters, whether Mannerist or not, tended to idealise the beauty of human body, and they often did not reproduce the Babinski sign.

Download Full-text