[Dostoevsky's epilepsy--a new view on a great writer's illness].

Dostoevsky's epilepsy was discussed by his first biographers and is still a matter of debate. The latest development in this discussion is a series of articles published by Russian authors which conclude that Dostoevsky did not suffer from epilepsy at all. Build our hypothesis on new research probably not known by the Russians, we refute their conclusion. A description of the history and etiology of Dostoevky's illness is given and a new hypothesis presented: that Dostoevsky contracted secondary syphilis with infection of the surface of the meninges or the cerebrum. This infection is what caused his lifelong epilepsy.