NeuroNews

Neurological Impairment and Its Impact on World History

  

 delicious  

  

Dr. Harold Adams, a leading figure in stroke, gave an excellent talk at the Kansas City Neurological and Neurosurgical Society last week.  The talk was about the profound role stroke has played in world history, especially in the 20th century.  The punch line of the talk was the photograph of Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin, seated together at Yalta, when much of the known world was divided up after WWII ended, Nazi Germany was defeated, and the cold war began. 
Dr. Adams showed through historical medical records that Roosevelt was demented and severely hypertensive  and paraplegic at the time the photograph was taken, Churchill had had multiple strokes, and Stalin was pretty much on his game.  He implied, and perhaps rightly so, that while leaders of the free world were impaired, Stalin was not. 
Dr. Adams admits, however, that sleep apnea and its consequences were unknown at the time.  We now realize that sleep apnea is a major cause of hypertension, stroke, and heart disease. It also frequently occurs in the setting of dementia and stroke, and can cause further problems with memory and concentration in its victims.
It may be that medical issues are not a driving force of history, and that subordinates with unimpaired memory and concentration designed the cold war.  Regardless, Dr. Adams’ hypothesis is fascinating.  There are other examples of how medical impairment has resulted in major swings in history.  This one is perhaps the most profound.

- Vernon Rowe, MD

Founder, MidAmerica Neuroscience Institute