Constantin Monakow Sheitsarsky neuropathologist, neuroanatomist, neuropsychologist of Russian origin Date of Birth: 04.11.1853 Country: Switzerland

Biography of Konstantin Monakow

Konstantin von Monakow, a Swiss neurologist, neuroanatomist, and neuropsychologist of Russian origin, was born in 1853 in the Russian village of Bobretsovo in the Vologda Oblast. In 1866, he moved to Switzerland with his parents. Despite his father's opposition, Monakow pursued his passion for medicine and became a student at the University of Zurich, where he studied medicine.

During his time as a student, Monakow worked as an assistant at the Burghölzli Institute, a psychiatric clinic, under the guidance of Eduard Hitzig. It was during this period that he became deeply interested in the structure and anatomy of the human brain. In 1885, Monakow returned to Zurich and later became the director of the Brain Anatomy Institute.

Monakow expanded his knowledge in the field of practical medicine and conducted extensive scientific research on the pathology and evolution of the human brain. His studies on the psychological consequences of brain injuries garnered significant interest. He concluded that the location of the damage could only indicate the affected area, not the localization of mental function. Monakow also introduced the concept of "asemia," which characterizes the disruption of complex symbolic functions resulting from various brain lesions. He coined the term "diachisis," which refers to the functional and dynamic changes that occur around any organic lesion, whether in the nervous system or internal organs, and how they can lead to the impairment of higher mental functions.

Among Monakow's notable works are "Pathologie du cerveau" (1897), "Über Lokalisation der Hirnfunktion" (1910), "Gefühl, Gesittung und Gehirn" (1916), "Psychiatrie und Biologie" (1919), and several others. In the last 15 years of his life, Monakow focused on interdisciplinary research, exploring the intersection of medicine and philosophy.

Konstantin von Monakow passed away on October 19, 1930. By the end of his life, he was a highly respected and renowned neurologist, neuroanatomist, neuropsychologist, and philosopher in Switzerland.