Rolf Hassler (1914–1984) was a German

pathologist Pathology is the study of disease. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in the context of modern medical treatme ...

who made important discoveries on the pathophysiology and treatment of

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...

(PD). In 1938 he published the autopsies of PD patients that showed while the

striatum The striatum (: striata) or corpus striatum is a cluster of interconnected nuclei that make up the largest structure of the subcortical basal ganglia. The striatum is a critical component of the motor and reward systems; receives glutamat ...

and

globus pallidus The globus pallidus (GP), also known as paleostriatum or dorsal pallidum, is a major component of the Cerebral cortex, subcortical basal ganglia in the brain. It consists of two adjacent segments, one external (or lateral), known in rodents simpl ...

were mostly unaffected and the main affected structure was the substantia nigra pars compacta; it lost many neurons and also held abundant Lewy bodies. Such findings confirmed Konstantin Tretiakoff's theories, who in 1919 had reported that the substantia nigra was the main cerebral structure affected. Hassler later was the director of the Max-Planck-Institut für Hirnforschung at Frankfurt am Main where he continued his studies on PD, becoming a pioneer in surgery for tremors.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hassler, Rolf Parkinson's disease researchers German pathologists 1914 births 1984 deaths 20th-century German physicians Max Planck Institute directors