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Jean-Martin Charcot at 200: revolutionizing neurology through a multidisciplinary lens
Marleide da Mota Gomes1,2, Marcos Raimundo Gomes de Freitas3
1Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Medicina Interna, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psiquiatria e Doenças Mentais, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil.
Abstract:
As we near the bicentenary of his birth, Jean-Martin Charcot (1825-1893) is remembered not only as the founder of modern neurology but also as a uomo universale. His multidisciplinary approach transcended 19th-century medicine, establishing neurology as a distinct discipline while integrating art, psychology, and philosophy into his study of the nervous system. His work laid foundations for neurodegenerative diseases (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis [ALS], Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis [MS]), functional neurological disorders (FNDs), and psychoanalysis, foreshadowing neuroplasticity and the mind-body connection. His innovative teaching at Salpêtrière-merging anatomy with artistic documentation-revolutionized medical education, inspiring figures from Freud to modern neuroscientists. Two centuries later, Charcot's legacy endures not just in eponyms but in his unifying vision of brain, mind, and art - a timeless model for interdisciplinary medicine. The present paper explores his impact on neurodegenerative research, functional disorders, medical pedagogy, and the humanities.
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