The first mention of an unusual disease, now called , are also found in Western European historical documents XVI-XVIII centuries. Many paid attention to the most striking external manifestation of the disease - involuntary movements of the arms, legs, torso of patients, often resembling a kind of dance. Neurologists call this kind of violent (that is, not amenable to voluntary control) movements chorea. From the deep Middle Ages, another name for the disease has come down to our days - “St. Vitus' dance”; this unusual term is known to many people who are not related to the history of medicine and neurology. Saint Vitus was a historical character and lived in Sicily at the beginning of the decline of the Roman Empire. This young Christian was martyred by the Romans in 303 during the persecution of Christians launched by the emperor Diocletian. After 1200 years (since the 16th century), his name became associated with “dance”. Then, for unknown reasons, a belief spread throughout Germany that anyone who dances in front of the statue of St. Vitus on his day (June 15) will receive a charge of vivacity for the whole year. Thousands of people crowded around the statues of the saint on this day, and their dances were often very expansive, emotional. In the end, they began to call the chorea “the dance of St. Vitus” and even tried to resort to the help of this saint in order to heal.

It's all about heredity

The modern scientific stage in the study of the disease dates back to 1872, when at a meeting of the Medical scientific society Ohio State George Huntington presented a brilliant clinical description of the disease, based on the analysis of many of his own observations. It is no coincidence that hereditary chorea was named after this American physician. The following decades were a period of accumulation of clinical facts and the results of the analysis of pedigrees, attempts to systematize them. In 1983, Huntington's disease became the first hereditary neurological disease in which the exact localization of an abnormal gene on a specific chromosome was established. After 10 years, scientists were able to decipher the exact structure of the pathological gene of the disease. At the same time, DNA diagnostic methods were developed that made it possible to establish the carriage of a pathological gene long before the immediate onset of symptoms of the disease. A striking example of the hereditary nature of the disease is the story of one family in which Huntington's chorea has been passed down for 350 years from generation to generation. This family emigrated from English city Bures in Suffolk County to the American city of Watertown in Massachusetts. The inhabitants of Puritan Massachusetts (like their counterparts in England) were extremely suspicious of everything alien and saw signs of witchcraft in everything. They pursued the Watertown witches until they were executed.

The engraving shows boys suffering from Huntington's chorea. George Huntington opened the modern scientific stage in the study of the disease.

The disease is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner, meaning inheritance from one of the affected parents (regardless of their gender) with a probability of 50% for each child. Persons of both sexes are ill. An important characteristic The autosomal dominant mechanism of inheritance of the HD gene is the so-called vertical transmission path, with the presence of cases in each generation, without gaps. If in some generation all relatives are genetically healthy, then further inheritance of the disease in the genus stops - BG does not “jump” through the generation. In each subsequent generation, an earlier onset of the disease and its more severe course are observed. This phenomenon is called “anticipation”. Close to this phenomenon is the so-called “paternal transmission effect”, which means that a disease with more early start and more severe course develops predominantly through paternal transmission.

Chorea or dance of St. Vitus According to the modern medical reference book Chorea (from the Greek choreia - dance) is a disease nervous system, characterized by violent movements, which are characterized by disorder, fast pace, sweeping, irregularity, lack of stereotyping, the possibility of simultaneous contraction of muscles of different location and function. It seems to be nothing ordinary, you never know there are human ailments. However, an interesting fact is that many centuries ago, such a disease massively affected entire villages. Considering that chorea is not a contagious disease, let's figure out where is the truth and where is fiction. So in 1374, the inhabitants of dozens of villages along the Rhine River suddenly felt the symptoms of a deadly disease - the dance plague - choreomania (or the dances of St. Witt). On these streets settlements hundreds of people could be seen jumping and kneeling for no reason. And they did it without musical accompaniment, although, perhaps, the music sounded in their inflamed minds. And they continued their dances until, exhausted from hunger, insomnia and fatigue, they fell to the ground. The heels of the unfortunate patients were rubbed into the blood. And then this strange plague suddenly ended - almost the same as it began. In 1518 there was another outbreak. A woman named Frau Troffea, for unknown reasons, suddenly went out into the streets of the city of Strasbourg and began to dance. She could not complete her dance for several days. In a week, the number of dancing patients increased to 35 people, and by the end of the month, 400 people were already moving in a strange dance. Dozens of people have had heart attacks, strokes or exhaustion. This caused them to drop dead. And in this case, the dancing plague stopped just as suddenly. Many scientists have tried to explain this "dancing" riddle. For some time, the following hypothesis was popular: people were poisoned with bread affected by a fungus growing on wet rye stalks - ergot. Once in the body, it causes fever, convulsions, delirium. John Waller, professor of history at the University of Michigan, believes that this version is implausible, because the speech movements of the patients were precisely dances, and not convulsions. Another popular theory - the involvement of the victims in a certain dance cult - the professor also rejected. Waller proposed a third theory: these were psychogenic (caused by mental trauma) mass diseases that caused fear and depression. Both outbreaks occurred during times of famine, crop failure, and flooding—what could be taken as signs of a biblical catastrophe. Fear of the supernatural could provoke a state of a kind of trance in people. In addition, the dancing plague is associated with St. Vitus, a Christian martyr. According to legend, one could gain health by dancing in front of the statue of St. Vitus on his name day. For some, these dances could be the last chance to recover from a deadly disease, such as the plague, smallpox or cholera that raged in those days. So, the idea of ​​saving dances was already in the subconscious of people. And to start this marathon during the epidemic, one person was enough. The Strasbourg outbreak of the dancing plague was not the last; something similar could be observed in Madagascar in 1840.

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Time to dance - time to die. Dance of Saint Vitus

The dance of St. Witt (otherwise chorea) is a rare disease that refers to the syndrome of the extrapyramidal system and manifests itself in an excessive number of involuntary uncoordinated movements. The disease is inherited, therefore, on average, every second child out of the total number of children, one of whose parents is sick, expects the same fate. Like a sword of Damocles, the disease gravitates from birth and manifests itself only at the age of 30 to 50 years.
Against the background of complete muscular relaxation, sharp, mostly uncoordinated twitchings suddenly occur, primarily of the limbs and facial muscles. Hence the name of the disease (in Greek chorea - dance). Along with this, there is a progressive weakening of mental abilities up to dementia. (Dementia (from lat. dementia - madness) - dementia as a result of underdevelopment or atrophy of higher mental functions.

Dementia primary- underdevelopment of the intellect due to hereditary disease, congenital damaging factors or deprivation early period child development. Secondary dementia is a consequence of atrophy of mental functions due to lack of exercise, emotional reinforcement, as a result of exposure to permanent damaging factors (social, age, medicinal, painful).

Often there is emotional instability and mental disorders. A feature of the disease is the inevitability of its appearance in the second half of life. The disease, as it were, seeks to bring to the consciousness of people that it is necessary to come to terms with the inevitability of fate and use the time given. A bleak future strengthens the desire to enjoy every moment and live only in the present.
Their thoughts are constantly occupied by the theme of fate. The only thing left for them is a terrifying escape from their destined lot. This can lead to a desire to experience everything in life that is possible. And what will come of all this - it will be seen.

Chorea pregnant occurs more often during the first pregnancy in young, especially asthenic, women, only rarely develops in subsequent pregnancies. It is based on an organic lesion of the central nervous system. with predominant involvement of the extrapyramidal system, in the anamnesis, most patients have indications of rheumatism; in addition, there may be signs of rheumatic heart disease and other somatic manifestations of rheumatism. However, the connection with rheumatism can not be traced in all cases of chorea of ​​pregnant women. Approximately 1/3 of cases of chorea of ​​pregnant women is a recurrence of minor chorea suffered in childhood.

History of the name of the disease

From the deep Middle Ages, another name for the disease has come down to our days - “St. Vitus' dance”; this unusual term is known to many people who are not related to the history of medicine and neurology. Saint Vitus was a historical character and lived in Sicily at the beginning of the decline of the Roman Empire. This young Christian was martyred by the Romans in 303 during the persecution of Christians launched by the emperor Diocletian. After 1200 years (since the 16th century), his name became associated with “dance”. Then, for unknown reasons, a belief spread throughout Germany that anyone who dances in front of the statue of St. Vitus on his day (June 15) will receive a charge of vivacity for the whole year. Thousands of people crowded around the statues of the saint on this day, and their dances were often very expansive, emotional. In the end, they began to call the chorea “the dance of St. Vitus” and even tried to resort to the help of this saint in order to heal.

"Dance of St. Vitus" - what kind of disease is this, why is it so named? And who is this saint WITT?

1. Dance of Saint Vitus. The first mention of an unusual disease, now called Huntington's disease, is found in Western European historical documents of the 188th centuries. Many paid attention to the most striking external manifestation of the disease - involuntary movements of the arms, legs, torso of patients, often resembling a kind of dance. Neurologists call this kind of violent (that is, not amenable to voluntary control) movements chorea, hence the common synonymous name of Huntington's chorea.
   The term "Dance of St. Vitus" is known to many people who are not related to the history of medicine and neurology. Saint Vitus was a historical character and lived in Sicily at the beginning of the decline of the Roman Empire. This young Christian was martyred by the Romans in 303 during the persecution of Christians launched by the emperor Diocletian. After 1200 years (since the 16th century), his name became associated with "dance". Then, for unknown reasons, a belief spread throughout Germany that anyone who dances in front of the statue of St. Vitus on his day (June 15) will receive a charge of vivacity for the whole year. Thousands of people crowded around the statues of the saint on this day, and their dances were often very expansive, emotional. In the end, they began to call the chorea "the dance of St. Vitus" and even tried to resort to the help of this saint in order to heal.

   By the way, in Italy, the spread of the dance was accompanied by the belief that such a dance would make the bite of a tarantula safe for those who danced to the music (apparently, there is the influence of the biblical words of Jesus: step on scorpions, you will not be harmed). The dance became known as the tarantella. The epidemic of tarantism is also known, as a result of its absorption of a huge number of victims, it has become in the full sense of the word a social ulcer in Italy.

   Little known, but the tarantella is not the only dance provoked by the dance of St. Witt. As the doctor writes historical sciences Mary Khashba, dance from Europe reached Abkhazia:

   So, the origin of the Atlarchopa dance, which was accompanied by the song of the same name, is connected with healing among the Abkhazians. Atlarchopa was performed during the illness of St. Vitus, popularly known as arshyshra. Young girls suffered from this disease. The patient also took part in the dance. She chose a young man and started dancing with him. The dancers reached a rapid pace and very often the girl, unable to withstand the stress, fell unconscious. She remained in this state for several hours, and the disease left her. During the Middle Ages in Europe, and particularly in Italy and Germany, St. Vitus' disease was treated with music.

   St. Vitus is a Christian saint, a Roman martyr of the period of early Christianity. He was killed in 303. The memory of St. Vitus is celebrated in Orthodox Church May 16 and June 15 (until julian calendar) , v catholic church June 15th.

   Reliable historical evidence of the life and martyrdom of St. Vitus has not been preserved. According to church tradition, St. Witt was a boy of seven (according to other sources, twelve years old), the son of a pagan Roman senator from Sicily. The boy converted to Christianity under the influence of his mentor. He was killed during the persecution of Christians by the Roman emperors Diocletian and Maximinus.

   According to legend, he went to Rome, where he cast out demons from the emperor Diocletian. But when Witt refused to pray to the Roman gods, he was arrested again and thrown to the lions, who did not touch the righteous man. Then Witt was thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil.

2. The dance of St. Vitus is a nervous disease, the essential symptom of which is a kind of convulsive disorder of movements.
3. The dance of St. Witt especially spread in the German and Flemish countries (like many other psychoses, it was not considered a disease, but was explained from the standpoint of superstition).
   
   

   Witt's dance
   

4. In the 14th century, a plague epidemic swept through Europe, claiming more than 20 million lives. The main method of treatment remained, as usual, earnest prayer, repentance, kissing the cross and scrupulous administration of all church rites. In the midst of this disaster came the feast of St. Vitus, which was always accompanied by massive feasts and dances. The festival was celebrated especially vigorously in Italy. Exhausted and desperate people, having drunk wine, began to dance rhythmically, brought themselves to a hysterical state and, no longer able to stop, fell dead. An ominous, contagious mirth was transmitted from one urban area to another, from village to village, leaving lifeless human bodies in its wake.

   This nightmarish episode, recorded by the chroniclers, was reflected in fiction(Pushkin's play Feast during the Plague is best known to Russians), as well as in modern psychological and medical terminology, where the dance of St. clinical symptom... Witt's dance.
   There is a translation of the Latin name chorea St. Viti (danse de st. Guy, Veitstanz), which originally served to designate a mental epidemic that proceeded with motor excitement and dancing (probably of a hysterical nature) observed in the 14th century in southwestern Germany. These patients, according to legend, found healing after visiting the chapel dedicated to St. Vitus. In modern medicine, Witt's dance (St. Witt's dance), or chorea (chorea minor), is a certain nervous disease that is quite common everywhere, the essential symptom of which is a kind of convulsive disorder of movements. This disorder is characterized mainly by restlessness of the muscles of the limbs, torso and head, as a result of which many involuntary contractions occur in them; they are extremely diverse and do not occur continuously, but at various intervals, both when the patient is completely at rest, and when he makes arbitrary movements. St. Witt (lat. Sanctus Vitus) is a Christian saint, a Roman martyr of the period of early Christianity. He was killed in 303. The memory of St. Vitus is celebrated in the Orthodox Church on May 16 and June 15 (according to the Julian calendar), in the Catholic Church on June 15.

5. and many other psychoses, it was not considered a disease, but was explained from the standpoint of superstition).
   The dance of St. Vitus raged throughout the century. People would get together, dance and sing for hours on end, and sometimes for several days, until they lost consciousness.
   Many of them had severe convulsive seizures.

   Witt's dance
   there is a translation of the Latin name chorea St. Viti (danse de st. Guy, Veitstanz), which originally served to designate a mental epidemic that proceeded with motor excitement and dancing (probably of a hysterical nature) observed in the 14th century in southwestern Germany. These patients, according to legend, found healing after visiting the chapel dedicated to St. Vitus. In modern medicine, Witt's dance (St. Witt's dance), or chorea (chorea minor), is a certain nervous disease that is quite common everywhere, the essential symptom of which is a kind of convulsive disorder of movements. This disorder is characterized mainly by restlessness of the muscles of the limbs, torso and head, as a result of which many involuntary contractions occur in them; they are extremely diverse and do not occur continuously, but at various intervals, both when the patient is completely at rest, and when he makes arbitrary movements. In most cases, the convulsions characteristic of Witt's dance (they are called choreic) are so insignificant in their intensity that patients can remain on their feet and cope with their professional activities throughout the course of the disease. At the beginning of the disease, when it affects children school age, choreic twitches in the face and limbs are so weak and similar to arbitrary movements that they are often taken by the profane for a prank. On the other hand, there are cases in which the choreatic convulsions are so violent that the patient cannot lie still for a single minute and even throws himself out of bed; this high degree disease is aptly characterized by the name "folie des muscles" (crazy muscles).
   Most often, the disease in question affects children aged from 6 years to the period of manhood; girls are much more common than boys. In addition, pregnant women find a predisposition to it. Finally, as an exception, it is observed in old age. The duration of the disease in typical cases ranges from several weeks to several months. Recovery usually proceeds in such a way that the choreic twitches become gradually weaker and less frequent; in children, often after a certain period of time, the disease resumes. In typical cases in V. children, dancing does not pose any danger to life. A fatal outcome is sometimes observed in chorea of ​​pregnant women and in senile forms. In addition, there is a type of chorea in which, along with choreic convulsions, there is a progressive weakening of mental faculties and general exhaustion, leading to death. This rare form, characteristic only of adults, has the character of a hereditary disease that affects several members of the same family. Finally, convulsive movements that fit the category of choreic often constitute one of the manifestations of organic lesions of the brain, sometimes affecting one half of the body (hemichorea)