Duchenne, Guillaume Benjamin Armand (1806-1875)

French physician renowned for his description of the muscle disease tabes dorsalis, now known as Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, and his pioneering use of electrophysiology to study muscle function.

During eleven years' work as a general practitioner, Duchenne became interested in diseases of the muscles of the body and published an account of the disease tabes dorsalis that was so masterly that the disease became known as Duchenne's muscular dystrophy. The disease is characterized by loss of coordination of movement, and lesions are found in the posterior columns of the spinal cord. Impaired sense of the position of ones joints worsens as the disease progresses and eventually shooting pains develop in the afflicted limbs. Muscular dystrophy develops in less than 5% of patients with untreated syphilis, and the symptoms usually become manifest 10-20 years after the primary infection.

Duchenne was born in Boulogne-sur-Mer and educated in Paris. He also pioneered the use of electrophysiology to study muscle function and was particularly interested in whether electrotherapy would rejuvenate or relieve damaged nerves and muscles. He particularly examined the changes in facial expression under emotion using electrical methodology. He published several books on this subject in which he described the effects of placing two moistened electrodes on the skin.