Brain cartographer, Scientia Professor George Paxinos AO, from Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) has announced the discovery of a hidden region of the human brain.
Image: Neuroscientist discovers hidden region of human brain. Photo: Courtesy of yodiyim at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The region is found near the brain-spinal cord junction and Professor Paxinos has named it the Endorestiform Nucleus.
Professor Paxinos suspected the existence of the Endorestiform Nucleus 30 years ago but has only now been able to see it due to better staining and imaging techniques. Commenting on this discovery, Professor Paxinos says it can be likened to finding a new star.
Professor Paxinos said: “The region is intriguing because it is absent in monkeys and other animals that we have studied.
“This region could be what makes humans unique besides our larger brain size.”
The Endorestiform Nucleus is located within the inferior cerebellar peduncle, an area that integrates sensory and motor information to refine our posture, balance and fine motor movements.
Professor Paxinos said: “I can only guess as to its function, but given the part of the brain where it has been found, it might be involved in fine motor control.”
The discovery of the region may help researchers explore cures for diseases including Parkinson’s disease and motor neuron disease.
Neuroscientists researching neurological or psychiatric diseases use Professor Paxinos’ maps to guide their work. Professor Paxinos’ brain atlases are heralded as the most accurate for the identification of brain structures and are also used in neurosurgery.
An increasingly detailed understanding of the architecture and connectivity of the nervous system has been central to most major discoveries in neuroscience in the past 100 years.
Professor Paxinos is the author of the most cited publication in neuroscience and another 52 books of highly detailed maps of the brain. The maps chart the course for neurosurgery and neuroscience research, enabling exploration, discovery and the development of treatments for diseases and disorders of the brain.
Source: Company Press Release