Almealawy Yasser F, Abdulrazeq Hael F, Saydo Biam, Ali Rohaid, Malik Athar N
Faculty of Medicine, University of Kufa, Kufa, Iraq.
Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University Health, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
J Clin Neurosci. 2025 Jun;136:111256. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2025.111256. Epub 2025 Apr 21.
The historical understanding of epilepsy has evolved from supernatural beliefs in ancient Mesopotamia to scientific interpretations in the Islamic Golden Age. While early civilizations viewed epilepsy as a divine affliction, Greek and Roman physicians, notably Hippocrates, proposed a cerebral origin. However, significant advancements emerged during the Islamic Golden Age (7th-15th centuries), particularly through the works of Al-Razi and Ibn Sina (980-1037 CE). Ibn Sina, or Avicenna, synthesized Greek, Roman, and Islamic medical knowledge in The Canon of Medicine, offering a systematic classification of epilepsy. He distinguished between idiopathic and symptomatic epilepsy, attributing its causes to cerebral dysfunction and humoral imbalances. His detailed descriptions of seizures and their clinical presentations demonstrated remarkable clinical insight. Ibn Sina also introduced innovative diagnostic techniques and treatments, including bloodletting, dietary adjustments, herbal remedies, and physical therapies. He recommended medicinal plants such as Lavandula stoechas and Pimpinella anisum, reflecting an advanced pharmacological approach. This paper explores Ibn Sina's contributions to epileptology, highlighting how The Canon of Medicine structured a more refined understanding of epilepsy. His emphasis on empirical observation, rational classification, and comprehensive treatment influenced medical traditions in both the Islamic world and medieval Europe. By integrating and expanding upon prior theories, Ibn Sina laid the groundwork for future advancements in neurology. His pioneering work represents a crucial step in the evolution of epilepsy research, bridging ancient concepts with emerging medical sciences.
对癫痫的历史理解已从古代美索不达米亚的超自然信仰发展到伊斯兰黄金时代的科学解释。早期文明将癫痫视为一种神罚，而希腊和罗马的医生，尤其是希波克拉底，提出癫痫起源于大脑。然而，在伊斯兰黄金时代（公元7世纪至15世纪）出现了重大进展，特别是通过拉齐和伊本·西那（公元980 - 1037年）的著作。伊本·西那，即阿维森纳，在《医典》中综合了希腊、罗马和伊斯兰的医学知识，对癫痫进行了系统分类。他区分了特发性癫痫和症状性癫痫，将其病因归因于大脑功能障碍和体液失衡。他对癫痫发作及其临床表现的详细描述展现出卓越的临床洞察力。伊本·西那还引入了创新的诊断技术和治疗方法，包括放血、饮食调整、草药疗法和物理疗法。他推荐了诸如唇萼薄荷和茴芹等药用植物，体现了先进的药理学方法。本文探讨伊本·西那对癫痫学的贡献，强调《医典》如何构建了对癫痫更精确的理解。他对实证观察、合理分类和综合治疗的强调影响了伊斯兰世界和中世纪欧洲的医学传统。通过整合和扩展先前的理论，伊本·西那为神经学的未来发展奠定了基础。他的开创性工作代表了癫痫研究发展中的关键一步，将古代概念与新兴医学科学联系起来。
