BEHAVIORAL BIOLOGY 22, 411--412 (1978)
NOTE Von Monakow's Diaschisis Concept: Comments on West et al. (1976) HANS J.
MARKOWITSCH x AND MONIKA PRITZEL 1
Institute of Neurophysiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
West et al. (1976) designed an experiment to provide a direct test of yon Monakow's diaschisis theory (von Monakow, 1910, 1914, 1969) and claimed to have obtained evidence against von Monakow's hypothesis. However, they not only oversimplify von Monakow's theoretical implications, but fail to cite relevant counterevidence in favor of von Monakow's theory. West et al. summarized yon Monakow's position as follows: " H e hypothesized that diaschisis appears suddenly, dissipates with time, and as it dissipates functions reappear" (p. 419). This description, however, deserves comment: von Monakow (1969) characterized the action of diaschisis for example on p. 28: "Consequently, diaschisis represents an 'interruption of function' appearing in m o s t c a s e s quite suddenly" (our emphasis) (see also the legend of his Fig. 1). Furthermore, von Monakow made clear in his extensive discussion of the "Rfickbildung der Initialerscheinungen" (involution of initial symptoms) in the original German version of his monograph (von Monakow, 1914, pp. 34-61) that, diaschisis does not always dissipate with time. von Monakow never believed that functions reappear but stated that after a considerable period of time the inevitable, anatomically determined local defects emerge, whereas the shock--caused side effects dissipate (e.g., yon Monakow, 1914, p. 31; equivocally translated in von Monakow, 1969, p. 32). The results of the experimental attempt of West et al. are at best not as crucial and unchallenged an argument against the diaschisis theory as the authors suggest ["the findings provide the first rigorous test of the dias1 Present address: D e p a r t m e n t of Psychology, University of K o n s t a n z , P. O. Box 7733, D-7750 K o n s t a n z , Federal Republic of G e r m a n y . 411 0091-6773/78/0223 -0411 $02.00/0 Copyright © 1978by AcademicPress, Inc. All rights of reproduction in any form reserved.
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chisis argument in the brain" (p. 424)]. Though their methods may have been more refined, they at least should have mentioned a similar investigation of Kempinsky (1958), who also directly tested von Monakow's theory. Kempinsky, using, as did West et al., a combination of electrophysiological and lesion techniques, obtained clear support for von Monakow's ideas by testing those anatomical loci which von Monakow had predicted would be affected by diaschisis (diaschisis c0mmissuralis ). Kempinsky's findings, furthermore, are complemented by clinical results (e.g., H0edt-Rasmussen and Skinh0j, 1964). But even if one prefers to explain results of behavioral recovery from brain damage by mechanisms such as axonal sprouting, as West et al. and others (e.g., Stein, 1974) do, these explanations seem to be included in von Monakow's theory: On several occasions he proposed regrowth or new growth of collateral pathways to the immediate neighborhood of the lesion focus (e.g., von Monakow, 1914, p. 59: "Auswachsen kollateraler Leitungen, Herstellung neuer Verschaltungen etc"). With these conceptions he even seems to have anticipated some of the most recent results of the authors criticized here (e.g., Lynch et al., 1972, 1973; Steward et al., 1974). REFERENCES HCedt-Rasmussen, K., and SkinhCj, E. (1964). Transneural depression of the cerebral hemispheric metabolism in man. Acta Neurol. Scand. 40, 41-46. Kempinsky, W. H. (1958). Experimental study of distant effects of acute focal brain injury. Arch. Neurol. Psychiat. 79, 376-389. Lynch, G., Matthew, D. A., Mosko, S., Parks, T., and Cotman, C. W. (1972). Induced acetylcholinesterase-rieh layer in rat dentate gyrus following entorhinal lesions. Brain Res. 42, 311-318. Lynch, G., Stanfleld, B., and Cotman, C. W. (1973). Development differences in post-lesion axonal growth in the hippocampus. Brain Res. 59, 155-168. Stein, D. G. (1974). Some variables influencing recovery of function after central nervous system lesions in the rat. In D. G. Stein, J. J. Rosen, and N. Butters (Eds.), "'Plasticity and Recovery of Function in the Central Nervous System," pp. 373-427. New York: Academic Press. Steward, O., Cotman, C. W., and Lynch, G. (1974). Growth of new fiber projection in the brain of adult rats: Re-innervation of the dentate gyrus by the contralateral entorhinal cortex following ipsilateral entorhinal lesion. Exp. Brain Res. 20, 45-66. yon Monakow, C. (1910). "Neue Gesichtspunkte in der Frage nach der Lokalisation im Grosshirn." Wiesbaden: J. F. Bergmann. von Monakow, C. (1914). "Die Lokalisation im Grosshirn und der Abbau der Funktion durch kortikale Herde." Wiesbaden: J. F. Bergmann. yon Monakow, C. (1969). Diaschisis (G. Harris, trans.). In K. H. Pribram (Ed.), "Brain and Behavior. 1. Mood, States and Mind," pp. 27-36. Baltimore, Maryland: Penguin Books. West, J. R., Deadwyler, S. A., Cotman, C. W., and Lynch, G. S. (1976). An experimental test of diaschisis. Behav. Biol. 18, 419-425.
NOTE Von Monakow's Diaschisis Concept: Comments on West et al. (1976) HANS J.
MARKOWITSCH x AND MONIKA PRITZEL 1
Institute of Neurophysiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
West et al. (1976) designed an experiment to provide a direct test of yon Monakow's diaschisis theory (von Monakow, 1910, 1914, 1969) and claimed to have obtained evidence against von Monakow's hypothesis. However, they not only oversimplify von Monakow's theoretical implications, but fail to cite relevant counterevidence in favor of von Monakow's theory. West et al. summarized yon Monakow's position as follows: " H e hypothesized that diaschisis appears suddenly, dissipates with time, and as it dissipates functions reappear" (p. 419). This description, however, deserves comment: von Monakow (1969) characterized the action of diaschisis for example on p. 28: "Consequently, diaschisis represents an 'interruption of function' appearing in m o s t c a s e s quite suddenly" (our emphasis) (see also the legend of his Fig. 1). Furthermore, von Monakow made clear in his extensive discussion of the "Rfickbildung der Initialerscheinungen" (involution of initial symptoms) in the original German version of his monograph (von Monakow, 1914, pp. 34-61) that, diaschisis does not always dissipate with time. von Monakow never believed that functions reappear but stated that after a considerable period of time the inevitable, anatomically determined local defects emerge, whereas the shock--caused side effects dissipate (e.g., yon Monakow, 1914, p. 31; equivocally translated in von Monakow, 1969, p. 32). The results of the experimental attempt of West et al. are at best not as crucial and unchallenged an argument against the diaschisis theory as the authors suggest ["the findings provide the first rigorous test of the dias1 Present address: D e p a r t m e n t of Psychology, University of K o n s t a n z , P. O. Box 7733, D-7750 K o n s t a n z , Federal Republic of G e r m a n y . 411 0091-6773/78/0223 -0411 $02.00/0 Copyright © 1978by AcademicPress, Inc. All rights of reproduction in any form reserved.
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chisis argument in the brain" (p. 424)]. Though their methods may have been more refined, they at least should have mentioned a similar investigation of Kempinsky (1958), who also directly tested von Monakow's theory. Kempinsky, using, as did West et al., a combination of electrophysiological and lesion techniques, obtained clear support for von Monakow's ideas by testing those anatomical loci which von Monakow had predicted would be affected by diaschisis (diaschisis c0mmissuralis ). Kempinsky's findings, furthermore, are complemented by clinical results (e.g., H0edt-Rasmussen and Skinh0j, 1964). But even if one prefers to explain results of behavioral recovery from brain damage by mechanisms such as axonal sprouting, as West et al. and others (e.g., Stein, 1974) do, these explanations seem to be included in von Monakow's theory: On several occasions he proposed regrowth or new growth of collateral pathways to the immediate neighborhood of the lesion focus (e.g., von Monakow, 1914, p. 59: "Auswachsen kollateraler Leitungen, Herstellung neuer Verschaltungen etc"). With these conceptions he even seems to have anticipated some of the most recent results of the authors criticized here (e.g., Lynch et al., 1972, 1973; Steward et al., 1974). REFERENCES HCedt-Rasmussen, K., and SkinhCj, E. (1964). Transneural depression of the cerebral hemispheric metabolism in man. Acta Neurol. Scand. 40, 41-46. Kempinsky, W. H. (1958). Experimental study of distant effects of acute focal brain injury. Arch. Neurol. Psychiat. 79, 376-389. Lynch, G., Matthew, D. A., Mosko, S., Parks, T., and Cotman, C. W. (1972). Induced acetylcholinesterase-rieh layer in rat dentate gyrus following entorhinal lesions. Brain Res. 42, 311-318. Lynch, G., Stanfleld, B., and Cotman, C. W. (1973). Development differences in post-lesion axonal growth in the hippocampus. Brain Res. 59, 155-168. Stein, D. G. (1974). Some variables influencing recovery of function after central nervous system lesions in the rat. In D. G. Stein, J. J. Rosen, and N. Butters (Eds.), "'Plasticity and Recovery of Function in the Central Nervous System," pp. 373-427. New York: Academic Press. Steward, O., Cotman, C. W., and Lynch, G. (1974). Growth of new fiber projection in the brain of adult rats: Re-innervation of the dentate gyrus by the contralateral entorhinal cortex following ipsilateral entorhinal lesion. Exp. Brain Res. 20, 45-66. yon Monakow, C. (1910). "Neue Gesichtspunkte in der Frage nach der Lokalisation im Grosshirn." Wiesbaden: J. F. Bergmann. von Monakow, C. (1914). "Die Lokalisation im Grosshirn und der Abbau der Funktion durch kortikale Herde." Wiesbaden: J. F. Bergmann. yon Monakow, C. (1969). Diaschisis (G. Harris, trans.). In K. H. Pribram (Ed.), "Brain and Behavior. 1. Mood, States and Mind," pp. 27-36. Baltimore, Maryland: Penguin Books. West, J. R., Deadwyler, S. A., Cotman, C. W., and Lynch, G. S. (1976). An experimental test of diaschisis. Behav. Biol. 18, 419-425.
