Stendhal's aphasic spells: the first report of transient ischemic attacks followed by stroke.
In March 1841, the year before he died of acute stroke, Stendhal, one of the most famous French novelists of the 19th century, developed a series of short-lived speech impairments which he precisely reported in his correspondence. His reports suggest that these spells were aphasic transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). The accuracy and precision of Stendhal's description exactly 20 years before Broca's presentation at the Société d'Anthropologie is remarkable since it occurred at a time when TIAs had not been studied in the medical literature and aphasia was still in its 'prehistory'. Stendhal's TIAs a few months before his fatal stroke constitute the first historical report of the warning nature of TIAs, which would be emphasized only over 100 years later.
Bogousslavsky
Julien
J
Assal
Gil
G
D001037:Aphasia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000266:history*; D005197:Famous Persons; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008512:Medicine in the Arts; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications