What do spindle cells tell the brain?
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What do spindle cells tell the brain?
Spindle cells, named after their long, spindle-shaped bodies, are the cells that are credited with allowing us to feel love and to suffer emotionally. Their discovery in whales will stimulate debate both on the level of whale intelligence and on the ethics of hunting them.
Where are von Economo neurons found?
The von Economo neurons (VENs) are large bipolar neurons located in fronto-insular cortex (FI) and anterior limbic area (LA) in great apes and humans but not in other primates.
Do pigs have spindle neurons?
VENs have also been found in a number of artiodactyl and perissodactyl species, including the pygmy hippopotamus, Nile hippopotamus, domesticated pig (Sus scrofa domesticus), sheep (Ovis aries), cow (Bos taurus), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), horse (Equus ferus caballus), common zebra (Equus burchellii).
Is nerve cell spindle-shaped?
Nerve cells are usually shaped like branched trees. From the round, pyramidal or spindle-shaped cell body, the dendrites branch out like the top of a tree and the single axon travels out like the trunk.
Where are spindle cells found?
Spindle cell sarcomas of the bone are often found in the arms, legs and pelvis. They most commonly arise in patients over the age of 40 and are extremely rare, making up just 2-5\% of all primary bone cancer cases.
What is the function of von Economo neurons?
| Von Economo 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 |
Do dolphins have spindle neurons?
More recently, spindle neurons have been found in elephants (Hakeem et al., 2009) and cetaceans such as the bottlenose dolphin, Risso’s dolphin, and the beluga whale (Butti et al., 2009).
What animal has spindle neurons in its frontal lobe?
Spindle cells are found in layer V in the frontoinsular cortex only in humans and African great apes (i.e., gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos), being far more numerous in humans compared to the apes (see Role of Spindle Cells in the Social Cognition of Apes and Humans; Hakeem et al., 2004).
Do humans have mirror neurons?
In humans, brain activity consistent with that of mirror neurons has been found in the premotor cortex, the supplementary motor area, the primary somatosensory cortex, and the inferior parietal cortex. The subject of mirror neurons continues to generate intense debate.
What are spindle neurons?
Von Economo neurons (VENs), also called spindle neurons, are a specific class of mammalian cortical neurons characterized by a large spindle-shaped soma (or body) gradually tapering into a single apical axon (the ramification that transmits signals) in one direction, with only a single dendrite (the ramification that …