André Strohl (20 March 1887 – 10 March 1977) was a French

physiologist Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a subdiscipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out chemical and ...

who was a native of

Poitiers Poitiers is a city on the river Clain in west-central France. It is a commune in France, commune, the capital of the Vienne (department), Vienne department and the historical center of Poitou, Poitou Province. In 2021, it had a population of 9 ...

. He is remembered for his role in the diagnosis of

Guillain–Barré syndrome Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rapid-onset Paralysis, muscle weakness caused by the immune system damaging the peripheral nervous system. Typically, both sides of the body are involved, and the initial symptoms are changes in sensation ...

(sometimes called Guillain–Barré–Strohl syndrome), a form of areflexic

paralysis Paralysis (: paralyses; also known as plegia) is a loss of Motor skill, motor function in one or more Skeletal muscle, muscles. Paralysis can also be accompanied by a loss of feeling (sensory loss) in the affected area if there is sensory d ...

that exhibits normal cell count but with an abnormal increase in spinal fluid protein. The syndrome is named after two French

neurologist Neurology (from , "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the nervous system, which comprises the brain, the ...

Georges Guillain Georges Charles Guillain () (3 March 1876 – 29 June 1961) was a French neurologist born in Rouen. He studied medicine in Rouen and Paris, where he learned clinical education at several hospitals. He developed an interest in neurology, and his f ...

and Jean Alexandre Barré. In 1916, during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Strohl was serving in the Neurological Centre of the French Sixth Army with Guillain and Barré. The three doctors noticed that two soldiers, who were suffering from muscular weakening and pain along with paresthesias,Guillain–Barré–Strohl syndrome
at Who Named It had an unexpected amount of spinal fluid protein production.Guillain–Barré syndrome by Wilder D. Smith
American Chemical Society, 2002, diseasesanddisorders. Strohl is credited with performing the electrophysiological tests on the soldiers. Eventually, the two patients were able to recover from their illness. In 1916, Guillain, Barré and Strohl reported their findings in a medical journal. In 1927, H. Draganesco and J. Claudion coined the term "Guillain–Barré syndrome", apparently overlooking Strohl's contributions. In 1924 Strohl became a professor of physiological medicine in

Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...

, and two years later acquired the same position at the

University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...

. He retired from there in 1957. He was also a member of the Académie Nationale de Médecine.

Selected bibliography

* G. Guillain, J. A. Barré, A. Strohl: ''Le réflexe médico-plantaire: Étude de ses caracteres graphiques et de son temps perdu''. Bulletins et mémoires de la Société des Médecins des Hôpitaux de Paris, 1916, 40: 1459-1462. * G. Guillain, J. A. Barré, A. Strohl: ''Sur un syndrome de radiculonévrite avec hyperalbuminose du liquide céphalo-rachidien sans réaction cellulaire. Remarques sur les caractères cliniques et graphiques des réflexes tendineux''. Bulletins et mémoires de la Société des Médecins des Hôpitaux de Paris, 1916, 40: 1462-1470.

References

''André Strohl''
@ Who Named It {{DEFAULTSORT:Strohl, Andre French physiologists 1887 births 1977 deaths Neuroscience pioneers Academic staff of the University of Paris People from Poitiers