general paresis
noun
: syphilis of the central nervous system that is characterized by memory loss, muscle weakness, progressive dementia, seizures, and paralysis
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This is not entirely ridiculous—in 1913 a mental illness known as general paresis of the insane was confirmed as being caused by syphilis—but the history of modern medicine and psychiatry has taught us that these examples are the exception rather than the rule.
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Vaughan Bell, Discover Magazine, 22 May 2012
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Vaughan Bell, Discover Magazine, 22 May 2012
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“General paresis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/general%20paresis. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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