Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Myotonic dystrophy in Ancient Egypt.

G Cattaino1, L Vicario

  • 1Department of Neurology, Azienda Ospedaliera, Pordenone, Italy.

European Neurology
|February 19, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Ancient Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaton may have had myotonic dystrophy (MD), a genetic disorder. This condition might explain his unusual appearance and the end of his royal dynasty.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Prediction of recovery of left ventricular dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction: comparison between 99mTc-sestamibi cardiac tomography and low-dose dobutamine echocardiography.

Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine·1999
Same author

Ethmoidal meningioma revealed by transient global amnesia.

Italian journal of neurological sciences·1989
Same author

[Colloid cysts of the third ventricle. Description of 3 cases diagnosed by CT].

La Radiologia medica·1988
Same author

Transient global amnesia: a personal series of 60 cases.

Italian journal of neurological sciences·1988
Same author

Local neurotoxicity of cisplatin after intra-arterial chemotherapy.

Acta neurologica Scandinavica·1986
Same author

Transient global amnesia.

Acta neurologica Scandinavica·1984

Area of Science:

  • Paleopathology
  • Ancient Egyptian History
  • Medical Genetics

Background:

  • Akhenaton, a New Kingdom pharaoh, is depicted with distinct physical abnormalities.
  • His reign marked a significant religious revolution in Ancient Egypt.
  • The mummy of Akhenaton has not been discovered, limiting direct biological analysis.

Discussion:

  • Artistic representations suggest Akhenaton may have suffered from myotonic dystrophy (MD).
  • The characteristic features in statues and reliefs align with clinical manifestations of MD.
  • Genetic disorders like MD could potentially explain the unusual iconography of Akhenaton.

Key Insights:

  • Analysis of artistic evidence suggests a potential diagnosis of myotonic dystrophy for Akhenaton.
  • Family data indicates that MD could be linked to the cessation of the Eighteenth Dynasty's royal line.
  • This study offers a novel perspective on the pharaoh's health and the dynasty's decline.

Outlook:

  • Further research into ancient Egyptian genetic material could validate or refute this hypothesis.
  • Comparative studies with other historical figures exhibiting unusual traits may yield insights.
  • Understanding the impact of genetic conditions on ancient royal successions remains an evolving field.

Related Experiment Videos