Lectura Neurologi A 2


La neurociencia en Al Ándalus
y su influencia en la medicina escolástica medieval
A. Martín-Araguz, C. Bustamante-Martínez, V. Fernández-Armayor, J.M. Moreno-Martínez
NEUROSCIENCE IN AL ANDALUS AND ITS INFLUENCE ON MEDIEVAL SCHOLASTIC MEDICINE
Summary. Introduction. Since the application of technical medicine by the Greeks, modern neurology has been based on a body of knowledge and culturalheritage from ancient times. In this paper we review the contribution made by Al Andalus to neuroscience during the Middle Ages and its repercussions on modern neurology. Development. Following the death of Mohammed in the VII century AD, Islam enjoyed one of the most spectacular periods of expansion in the history of mankind. Occupation of the cities of Alexandria and Gundishapur put the Arabsinto contact with original Greco-Latin manuscrips, which were assimilated and divulged by Islamic scientists in the middle-eastern caliphates of Damascus and Bagdad as well as the western caliphates of Al Andalus (Spain) and Kairwan (Tunis). This classical hippocratico-galenico medicine was refashioned into the so-called arabized galenism, which markedly influenced the Scholastics and the culturedworld of the lower Middle Ages and became the basis of European medicine until well into the Renaissance period. There was a first Spanish cultural Renaissance in Al Andalus during the IX-XII centuries, which led to a flowering unheard of in the Middle Ages before then. Andalusian doctors made major contributions to the body of knowledge about neuroscience and developed major philosophical conceptsof human understanding. Thus, Abulcasis (936-1013), the father of modern surgery, developed material and technical designs which are still used in neurosurgery. Averroes suggested the existence of Parkinson’ s syndrome and attributed photoreceptor properties to the retina. Avenzoar described meningitis, intracranial throm- bophlebitis, mediastinal tumours and made contributions to modernneuropharmacology. Maimonides wrote about neuropsychiatric disorders and described rabies and belladonna intoxication. Conclusion. Aside from the political, religious and cultural differences between Al Andalus and the Christian kingdoms of the Iberian peninsula, the historical Andalusian period (711-1492) forms one of the most brilliant periods of Spanish neuroscience. [REV NEUROL 2002; 34: 877-92]
Keywords. Al Andalus. Albucasis. Arabized galenism. Avenzoar. Averroes. History of neuroscience. Maimonides. Scholastic medicine.
INTRODUCCIÓN
El último tercio del siglo XIX significó la introducción de una nueva metodología científica y médica que originaría la aparición de la neurología como especialidad en España. Sin embargo, la neuro- ciencia en sentido amplio (entendida como el conocimientodel sistema nervioso y de sus ‘misteriosas’ enfermedades) ha ejercido, desde siempre, una gran fascinación en la humanidad a lo largo de la historia [1,2].
España ha tenido el privilegio histórico de ser uno de los países occidentales que ha conocido dos renacimientos culturales con una clara influencia en el resto de occidente. El primer renacimiento arabizado se gestó en Al Ándalus entre lossiglos IX y XII y fue exportado al mundo por influencia de la Escuela de Traductores de Toledo durante el reinado de Alfonso X el Sabio. El segundo rena- cimiento se importó de Italia a lo largo de los siglos XV y XVI, durante el reinado de los Reyes Católicos, Carlos V y Felipe II. En ambos renacimientos hubo logros fundamentales que ampliaron el cuerpo de conocimientos de la especialidad [3].Recibido: 04.10.01. Aceptado tras revisión externa sin modificaciones: 06.10.01.
Servicio de Neurología del Hospital del Aire. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Madrid, España.
Correspondencia: Dr. Antonio Martín. Servicio de Neurología del Hospital del Aire. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Arturo Soria, 82. E-28027 Madrid. E-mail: amartina@medynet.com
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