Von Economo neuron
Von Economo neuron | |
---|---|
Details | |
Location | Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and Fronto-insular cortex (FI) |
Shape | Unique spindle-shaped projection neuron |
Function | Global firing rate regulation and regulation of emotional state |
Presynaptic connections | Local input to ACC and FI |
Postsynaptic connections | Frontal and temporal cortex |
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy |
Von Economo neurons, also called spindle neurons, are a specific class of
Von Economo neurons are found in two very restricted regions in the
Von Economo neurons were discovered and first described in 1925 by Austrian psychiatrist and neurologist Constantin von Economo (1876–1931).[8][9]
Function
Von Economo neurons are relatively large
Evolutionary significance
The discovery of von Economo neurons in diverse whale species[3][4] has led to the suggestion that they are "a possible obligatory neuronal adaptation in very large brains, permitting fast information processing and transfer along highly specific projections and that evolved in relation to emerging social behaviors."[4]: 254 The apparent presence of these specialized neurons only in highly intelligent mammals may be an example of convergent evolution.[11]
Their restriction among the primates to great apes leads to the hypothesis that they developed no earlier than 15–20 million years ago, prior to the divergence of orangutans from the African great apes. Recently, primitive forms of von Economo neurons have also been discovered in macaque monkey brains[12] and raccoons.[7]
In the anterior cingulate cortex
In 1999, American neuroscientist John Allman and colleagues at the California Institute of Technology first published a report on von Economo neurons found in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of hominids but not any other species. Neuronal volumes of ACC von Economo neurons were larger in humans and bonobos than the von Economo neurons of the chimpanzee, gorilla and orangutan.[13]
Allman and his colleagues have delved beyond the level of brain infrastructure to investigate how von Economo neurons function at the superstructural level, focusing on their role as «air traffic controllers for emotions ... at the heart of the human social emotion circuitry, including a moral sense».[14][15] Allman's team proposes that von Economo neurons help channel neural signals from deep within the cortex to relatively distant parts of the brain.[14] Specifically, Allman's team found signals from the ACC are received in Brodmann's area 10, in the frontal polar cortex, where regulation of cognitive dissonance (disambiguation between alternatives) is thought to occur. According to Allman, this neural relay appears to convey motivation to act, and concerns the recognition of error. Self-control – and avoidance of error – is thus facilitated by the executive gatekeeping function of the ACC, as it regulates the interference patterns of neural signals between these two brain regions.[16]
In humans, intense
The ACC is a relatively ancient cortical region and is involved with many
In the fronto-insular cortex
At a Society for Neuroscience meeting in 2003, Allman reported on von Economo neurons his team found in another brain region, the fronto-insular cortex, a region which appears to have undergone significant evolutionary adaptations in mankind – perhaps as recently as 100,000 years ago.
This fronto-insular cortex is closely connected to the
Concentrations
Anterior cingulate cortex
The largest number of ACC von Economo neurons are found in humans, fewer in the gracile great apes, and fewest in the robust great apes. In both humans and bonobos they are often found in clusters of 3 to 6 neurons. They are found in
Fronto-insular cortex
All of the primates examined had more von Economo neurons in the fronto-insula of the right hemisphere than in the left. In contrast to the higher number of von Economo neurons found in the ACC of the gracile bonobos and chimpanzees, the number of fronto-insular von Economo neurons was far higher in the cortex of robust gorillas (no data for orangutans was given). An adult human had 82,855 such cells, a gorilla had 16,710, a bonobo had 2,159, and a chimpanzee had a mere 1,808 – despite the fact that chimpanzees and bonobos are great apes most closely related to humans.
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Von Economo neurons have been located in the Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of humans[1] and elephants.[5] In humans they have been observed in higher concentration in Brodmann area 9 (BA9) – mostly isolated or in clusters of 2, while in Brodmann area 24 (BA24) they have been found mostly in clusters of 2–4.[1]
Clinical significance
Abnormal von Economo neuron development may be linked to several psychotic disorders, typically those characterized by distortions of reality, disturbances of thought, disturbances of language, and withdrawal from social contact.[
See also
List of distinct cell types in the adult human body
References
- ^ S2CID 8454354.
- ^ Coghlan, A. (27 November 2006). "Whales boast the brain cells that 'make us human'". New Scientist. Archived from the original on 16 April 2008.
- ^ PMID 17441195.
- ^ S2CID 6876656.
- ^ PMID 19089889.
- PMID 22578500.
- ^ a b Lambert KG, Bardi M, Landis T, Hyer MM, Rzucidlo A, Gehrt S, Anchor C, Jardim Messeder D, Herculano-Houzel S (2014). "Behind the Mask: Neurobiological indicants of emotional resilience and cognitive function in wild raccoons (Procyon lotor)". Society for Neuroscience.
- ^ von Economo, C., & Koskinas, G. N. (1929). The cytoarchitectonics of the human cerebral cortex. London: Oxford University Press
- S2CID 21477302.
- ^ Coghlan, A. (27 November 2006). "Whales boast the brain cells that 'make us human'". New Scientist. Archived from the original on 16 April 2008.
- PMID 19089889.
- ^ "Rare neurons linked to empathy and self-awareness discovered in monkey brains". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
- PMID 10220455.
- ^ S2CID 10507342.
- ^ Blakeslee, Sandra. "Humanity? Maybe It's in the Wiring" (PDF). The New York Times.
- S2CID 2427631.
- PMID 19089889.
- S2CID 2427631.
- S2CID 7976979.
- General References
- Allman J, Hakeem A, Watson K (Aug 2002). "Two phylogenetic specializations in the human brain". Neuroscientist. 8 (4): 335–346. S2CID 2427631.
External links
- TaipeiTimes.com – Know Thyself and Others
- "Well-wired whales" Michael Balter (2006) ScienceNOW Daily News. 27 November
- "Brain Cells for Socializing" Smithsonian, June 2009