Maksymilian Rose (1883 - 1937)

The debate over whether the brain functions as a unified whole or is divided into various specialized parts for different functions has a long history. In the 18th century, Vienna physician Franz Gall proposed that the human psyche, the way one perceives reality and behaves, along with individual abilities and predispositions, could be associated with specific brain structures, more precisely, with different areas of the cerebral cortex. These ideas led to the development of phrenology by Johann Spurzheim, which not only sparked debate among scholars but also attracted considerable attention in social circles. Today, Gall's claims—that the developing brain shapes the surface of the skull, with resulting elevations and depressions in the bones forming a unique map of individual character traits—seem peculiar. Similarly, the idea that phrenologists identified centers for food preferences or poetic talent appears odd. However, it is important to note that pointing to the localized nature of cortical functions was a significant source for modern neuropsychology.

Research on the structure of the cerebral cortex, correlated with an attempt to analyze its functions, found its proper development only in the second half of the 19th century. This was due to advances in microanatomical and histological research, as well as the establishment of the experimental model in biological sciences, which enabled more extensive studies on the cellular structure of the cortex. In 1867, Viennese psychiatrist and neurologist Theodor Meynert described the cellular differentiation in the gray matter of both hemispheres of the brain, opening the way for studies on brain cytoarchitecture. In 1898, German neuroanatomist, neuropathologist, and psychiatrist Paul Flechsig, in his work on the cytoarchitecture of the brain, identified 40 distinct areas. In 1903, Australian Alfred Walter Campbell proposed dividing the cerebral cortex into 14 fields. These significant discrepancies arose from the different research methods and theoretical assumptions of the scientists, who were looking for a universal and well-grounded model based on recognizable features. However, it was the aforementioned German scholar Korbinian Brodmann, whose work Rose studied, who presented a division that became the foundation for contemporary brain research. After conducting comparative studies on primates, including humans, and primarily based on histological analysis, Brodmann identified 52 areas—44 in humans and 8 in primates. This classification was first publicly presented in 1908, and in 1909, he published a monographic study on the topic.

Rose approached the structure of the cerebral cortex from a different perspective, specifically its phylogenetic development. He was intrigued by both the similarities and differences in the cortical structure of lower animals, primates, and humans, seeing them as pathways to creating a precise "map." An open and crucial question remained about the nature of these differences: should they be seen as only quantitative changes, or are they qualitative as well? And how does the development of the cortex differ in animals and humans?

In 1912, Rose published preliminary results of his work comparing the cytoarchitecture of the cerebral cortex in mice, guinea pigs, and bats. He was able to prove that, apart from the clearly differentiated cortex based on origin (the so-called heterogeneous cortex), there is also a homogeneous cortex, divided into different functional centers. In his further research, he focused on the cytoarchitecture of the olfactory cortex, analyzing comparative material from different species of reptiles, birds, and mammals, including humans. He demonstrated a close correlation between the specific type of olfaction and the size and differentiation of the cortical areas he was studying. This also pointed to further research directions, as Rose concluded that analyzing the cytoarchitecture of cortical areas in different animal species could provide essential insights into their significant functions.

Using his original method for measuring the volume of cortical fields, Rose proposed his own classification of these fields. He used the differing reactions of the primary and developmental layers in various parts of the cortex as the criterion for his division. By proposing a new cortical classification, he adhered to the principle of functional localization. However, he approached this issue not only from the morphological similarity of different architectural fields but also by demonstrating their common origin and the similar functional development of related architectural centers. The basis for his analysis was an ontogenetic and phylogenetic study of cortical development.

In his subsequent work, Rose was the first to describe in such detail the cytoarchitecture of the insular cortex, which, as we now know, is responsible for higher mental functions. He also traced its phylogenetic origin. Rose's new perspective on the cytoarchitecture of the hippocampus, a relatively small structure in the temporal lobe of the brain's telencephalon, which plays a key role in transferring short-term memory to long-term memory and is involved in spatial orientation, also generated significant interest. Rose identified five distinct regions within the hippocampus, both histologically and physiologically, and was the first to attempt the precise localization of the epileptic focus within the hippocampus. It is important to emphasize that this was the first attempt in the global literature to determine the epileptic focus based on cytoarchitectural analysis.

In an experimental model using rabbits, in which he selectively removed specific cortical cytoarchitectural fields, Rose demonstrated for the first time that this led to degenerative changes in the optic thalamus. Rose sought evidence that the causes of numerous nervous system disorders were directly related to disrupted or pathologically damaged metabolic processes occurring in different layers and fields of the cerebral cortex. He also provided convincing evidence of the variability in the size of individual cortical fields in individuals of the same species.

Rose conducted original studies on the brains of prominent individuals, aiming to identify the anatomical basis of mental traits. He observed that exceptional abilities and talents, such as linguistic skills and excellent memory, were often accompanied by significant limitations in other areas, such as manual skills or spatial orientation. He attributed this phenomenon to developmental differences in the cortical fields. Rose’s famous studies on the brain of Marshal Józef Piłsudski became well known, and he intended to present the results in a multi-part work. However, only the first volume was published, a year after Rose's death.

Biography

He was born on May 19, 1883, in Przemyśl, as the son of Eliasz and Lea Israelowicz. He began his schooling in his hometown, but due to his family’s difficult financial situation, he was assisted by relatives who enabled him to move to Wadowice. There, he completed his education at a local high school, and after passing his matura exam, he enrolled in medical studies at the Jagiellonian University. In 1908, he graduated with distinction and received his Doctor of Medicine degree. That same year, he married Stella Schornstein, who in 1909 became one of the first women to graduate from university in Kraków. Later, Stella assisted her husband in his scientific work.

Rose became interested in anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the nervous system at an early age. While still a student, he began working at the neurological and psychiatric clinic in Kraków, which was then led by Professor Jan Piltz. Later, from 1908 to 1910, he served as an assistant there. In 1910, he embarked on a two-year scientific journey to leading neurological centers in Germany and Switzerland. He first enhanced his knowledge and skills in Berlin, where he studied under world-renowned neurologists and psychiatrists, Herman Oppenheim and Georg Theodor Ziehen. In 1911, Rose moved to Switzerland, where he worked as an assistant at the psychiatric clinic in Rheinau near Zurich. In 1912, he returned to Germany to begin work and training at the clinic in Tübingen, which was led by Professor Robert Grapp. As future events would show, his time at the Tübingen clinic, and especially at its anatomical-histological laboratory, ultimately shaped his scientific interests. It was here, under the guidance of Korbinian Brodmann, a skilled researcher of the cytoarchitecture of the cerebral cortex, that the Polish newcomer first delved into the research problem that would become the main focus of his scientific career for years to come.

In 1913, Rose returned to Kraków. He was unable to extend his assistantship at Professor Piltz's clinic, so he opened a private neurological-psychiatric practice. At the same time, in order to maintain contact with science, he was able to work at the Department of Descriptive Anatomy under Professor Kazimierz Kostanecki and also at the Department of General Biology, led by Professor Emil Godlewski Jr. The outbreak of World War I disrupted his normal life and research. In 1914, Rose began serving as a battalion doctor in the Polish Legions. In 1915, he was assigned to service in garrison hospitals, first in Przemyśl and later in Kraków, where he was tasked with leading the neurological-psychiatric departments. In 1917, he was appointed Chief Medical Officer of the Polish Legions Medical Station. After Poland regained independence, in the rank of Major of the Polish Army, Rose headed the neurological department of the garrison hospital in Kraków. In 1921, he was transferred to the reserves. He then returned to his private practice and resumed his scientific research at the Jagiellonian University’s Department of Anatomy, thanks to the kind assistance of Professor Kostanecki.

In 1925, the German neuroanatomist Oskar Vogt invited Rose to collaborate at the Brain Research Institute (Institut für Hirnforschung) in Berlin, where he was appointed to lead the neuropathology department. The following year, he also obtained the right to run a private medical practice in the German capital and was granted a doctoral degree. At the same time, he was editing the prestigious journal Journal für Psychologie und Neurologie and worked closely with the renowned neuropathologist Max Bielschowsky.

This was a time of intense work in the field of brain structure and function research. The collected and analyzed material became the basis for Rose's habilitation thesis, which he defended in 1928 at the Medical Faculty of the University of Warsaw. In the same year, upon receiving a position as an associate professor of neurology, he began lecturing and conducting classes for students. At the same time, thanks to funds obtained from the Mianowski Fund, he was able to establish the Polish Brain Research Institute at the Department of Histology and Embryology. The institute quickly gained European renown, becoming the third such center of scientific excellence alongside those in Berlin and Moscow.

In 1931, Rose was invited to take the Chair and Clinic of Psychiatry at the University of Vilnius. He accepted the offer. Two years later, he was also entrusted with the leadership of the Chair and Clinic of Neurology. It was decided to merge the two departments under Rose's leadership into one – the Chair and Clinic of Neurological and Mental Diseases. The Polish Brain Research Institute was also moved to Vilnius. In 1931, Rose took over the leadership of the State Psychiatric Hospital and, in Kojrany near Vilnius, established and directed a rehabilitation center. It is worth noting that this period coincided with attempts to treat schizophrenia with insulin, which was part of the diagnostic and therapeutic program that Rose undertook. At the same time, he worked intensively in research, without neglecting his numerous teaching responsibilities. Despite admonitions to take care of his health and slow down, he did not ease his pace. He died suddenly on November 30, 1937, and was buried at the New Jewish Cemetery in Kraków.

Rose gained recognition during his lifetime in the scientific community. In 1929, he was elected a correspondent member of the Polish Academy of Learning, and in 1933, he became a full member of the Warsaw Scientific Society.

Bibliography

• Red. Rose Maksymilian (1883-1937) PSB, vol. 32, pp. 49-50.
• M. Cunge, Profesor Maksymilian Rose i jego dzieło, "Medycyna" 1938, 2, pp. 39-42.
• E. Herman, Neurolodzy polscy, Warsaw 1958, pp. 391-407.
• W. Łuniewski, Działalność psychiatryczna prof. Maksymiliana Rosego, "Rocznik Psychiatryczny" 1939, 36, pp. 1-4.
• K. Orzechowski, Maksymilian Rose jako badacz cytoarchitektoniki mózgu, "Neurologia Polska" 1938, 21, pp. 20-28.
• A. Śródka, Rose Maksymilian, Uczeni polscy XIX-XX stulecia, Warsaw 1997, vol. 3, pp. 551-553.

Author: Ryszard W. Gryglewski

Affiliation: Department of the History of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College.