C. David Marsden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Marsden
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|---|---|
| Born |
Charles David Marsden
14 April 1938 |
| Died | 29 September 1998 (aged 60) |
| Known for | Neurology – movement disorders |
| Awards | Fellow of the Royal Society (1983) Ellison-Cliffe Medal (1988) Baly Medal (1991) |
Charles David Marsden (born April 14, 1938 – died September 29, 1998) was a famous British neurologist. A neurologist is a doctor who studies and treats problems with the brain and nervous system. Dr. Marsden made very important discoveries about movement disorders. These are conditions that affect how people move. Many people thought he was the best brain doctor and scientist of his time in the UK.
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Early Life and Education
David Marsden was born in Croydon, England, in 1938. He studied medicine at St Thomas' Hospital in London. While studying, he also earned special degrees in science. These degrees focused on a part of the brain called the substantia nigra.
He finished his main medical degree in 1963. After that, he became a member of the Royal College of Physicians in 1965. This showed he was a highly skilled doctor.
Career and Discoveries
Dr. Marsden started his career as a teacher at St Thomas' Hospital. Later, he worked at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. This is a very important hospital for brain and nerve problems.
By 1970, he became a top brain doctor at several hospitals. These included the Maudsley and Bethlem Royal Hospitals, and King's College Hospital. He also taught at the Institute of Psychiatry. In 1972, he became a leader in neurology at these places.
In 1987, he moved to the Institute of Neurology, Queen Square. He became the Dean of Neurology eight years later. This meant he was in charge of the whole neurology department. Sadly, he passed away suddenly at age 60. He had a hidden heart problem.
Understanding Movement Disorders
Dr. Marsden's main work was on movement disorders. His interest began when he studied the substantia nigra in medical school. This part of the brain is important for movement.
He first studied the shaking (tremor) that people with Parkinson's disease experience. Later, he made many big discoveries. He studied problems that came from medicines for Parkinson's. He also looked at how the brain controls movements in conditions like dystonia and myoclonus.
Key Contributions
Dr. Marsden helped find a problem in the brain cells of people with Parkinson's disease. He also used special brain scans (PET scans) to study new treatments. These treatments involved putting new cells into the brain for Parkinson's patients.
He described several new conditions, like "painful legs/moving toes." He also showed that dystonia was a real physical disease, not just a mental problem. He helped classify different types of dystonia. He also set up a special brain bank for Parkinson's research in the UK.
Dr. Marsden worked with other important scientists. He teamed up with Stanley Fahn in New York. Together, they started the Movement Disorders journal. This is a scientific magazine where doctors share their research. They also founded the Movement Disorder Society. This group helps doctors and scientists learn more about movement disorders.
Dr. Marsden wrote over 800 scientific papers and more than 200 book chapters. For ten years, he was the editor of two major medical journals. He also served on the boards of 21 other journals.
Awards and Recognition
David Marsden received many awards for his important work. In 1983, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
In 1984, the University of London gave him an honorary Doctor of Science degree. In 1988, he received the Ellison-Cliffe Medal from the Royal Society of Medicine. These awards show how much his work helped people and advanced medical science.
