Clinical Neurophysiology

Clinical Neurophysiology in Sweden became a speciality of its own in the middle of the previous century, much earlier than in most other countries. This was, among other factors, due to strong basic neurophysiology in Sweden, the early interest in EEG (electroencephalography) among psychiatrists and the development of EMG (electromyography) by Kugelberg.

Karl-Erik Hagbarth, who had been working with Ragnar Granit in the Nobel Institute and had spent some time in the USA working with Magoun, returned to Stockholm and started at the Serafimer hospital. His main research field was at that time neurophysiology, mainly motor control. In the mid-fifties, he was approached by Bror Rexed (at that time professor of anatomy in Uppsala but with a background in neurophysiology) who pursuaded Hagbarth to take a position in Uppsala University Hospital as clinical neurophysiologist. Hagbarth started in 1958 as a consultant in clinical neurophysiology, a position as chief physician was created in 1958 and in 1973 he was appointed professor, the first chair of clinical neurophysiology in Sweden. In 1990 Erik Stålberg succeeded Hagbarth as chairman of the Department of Clinical Neurophysiology and was appointed professor for the Institution of Clinical Neurophysiology in 1991, where he stayed until retirement in 2001 and succeeded by professor Lars Larsson.