Alfons Maria Jakob facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alfons Maria Jakob
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 2 July 1884 Aschaffenburg, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire
|
| Died | 17 October 1931 (aged 47) |
| Nationality | German |
| Known for | neuropathology |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Neurology |
Alfons Maria Jakob (born July 2, 1884 – died October 17, 1931) was a German doctor. He specialized in neurology, which is the study of the brain and nervous system. He also focused on neuropathology, which looks at diseases of the nervous system.
Jakob was born in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria. He studied medicine at universities in Munich, Berlin, and Strasbourg. He earned his doctorate degree in 1908. The next year, he started working with famous doctors like Emil Kraepelin and Alois Alzheimer in Munich.
Life and Work
In 1911, Alfons Maria Jakob moved to Hamburg. He worked at a psychiatric hospital there. He became the head of the laboratory that studied diseases of the body's tissues.
During World War I, he served as an army doctor in Belgium. After the war, he returned to Hamburg. In 1919, he became qualified to teach neurology. By 1924, he was a professor of neurology. Under his leadership, the department grew very quickly. He became a leading expert in studying diseases of the nervous system.
Discoveries and Contributions
Jakob wrote five books and nearly 80 scientific papers. His research helped doctors understand many diseases better. These included multiple sclerosis and Friedreich's ataxia.
He was the first to identify and describe Alper's disease. He also helped name Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. This disease is named after him and another doctor, Hans Gerhard Creutzfeldt. He also studied conditions affecting the nervous system.
Jakob traveled to the United States in 1924 to give lectures. He also visited South America in 1928. While there, he wrote a paper about how yellow fever affects the nervous system.
Later Life
For the last seven years of his life, Jakob suffered from a long-term bone infection called osteomyelitis. This led to other health problems. He passed away in 1931 after an operation.
Associated Eponym
- Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease: This is a very rare and serious brain disease. It causes the brain to slowly break down. It is the most common type of disease caused by tiny, misfolded proteins called prions. The name for this disease was first used in 1922.
See also
In Spanish: Alfons Maria Jakob para niños
