Julius Caesar's Late Onset Epilepsy: A Case of Historic Proportions

2010/09/01 by Richard S. McLachlan · 1 citation
Medicine · Neuroscience · Environmental Science · #Parasitic infections in humans and animals #Cerebrospinal fluid and hydrocephalus #Parasite Biology and Host Interactions

paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/s0317167100010696

openalex publication_date 2010/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

This is a case report of Julius Caesar's epilepsy that onset when he was 54-years-old. The differential diagnosis of late onset epilepsy is discussed and the rationale presented for concluding from the clinical presentation that the cause was neurocysticercosis. That this man's disease and its consequences altered the course of history is a very real possibility.

Citations

• Dictator Perpetuus: Julius Caesar—Did he have seizures? If so, what was the etiology?

Cited by

• Julius Caesar [wikipedia]

Related

• A Neurological Mystery from History: The Case of Claudius Caesar
• Julius Caesar Arantius (Giulio Cesare Aranzi, 1530–1589) and the hippocampus of the human brain: history behind the discovery
• Did Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) have epilepsy? A neurological analysis
• Epilepsy and its driving forces: understanding the forces behind epileptical pathogenisis
• Etiological diagnosis of late‐onset epilepsy: A key priority for Italian epileptologists – Insights from a LICE survey