Goldstein, Kurt (1878–1965)

Education and Training

University of Breslau (M.D., 1903).

Major Appointments

• University of Koningsberg (1906–1914)

• Institute for Research into the Consequences of Brain Injuries (University of Frankfurt, 1916–1930)

• Professor of Neurology (University of Frankfurt, 1919–1930)

• Professor of Neurology (University of Berlin, 1930–1933)

• Professor of Neurology (Columbia University, New York, 1935–1940)

• Professor of Neurology (Tufts University, Medford, MA, 1940–1945)

Major Honors and Awards

• William James Lectures at Harvard University (1938/1939)

• Doctor Honoris Causa (University of Frankfurt, 1958)

Landmark Clinical, Scientific, and Professional Contributions

• Kurt Goldstein was a prominent neurologist who challenged prevailing theories of localization of function and advocated a holistic, associationist view of the brain. He developed the theory of the “catastrophic reaction,” which emphasized an individual’s awareness of, and reaction to, his or her deficits. His research spanned numerous...