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![Regions of the brain containing Von Economo neurons (VENs). (a) A lateral view of the brain, with fronto-insular cortex (FI) shown in red. (b) A medial view of the brain, with anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) shown in red [10].](profile/Adamu-Abubakar-Sadeeq/publication/280712919/figure/fig1/AS:614198388195344@1523447715975/Regions-of-the-brain-containing-Von-Economo-neurons-VENs-a-A-lateral-view-of-the.png)
Regions of the brain containing Von Economo neurons (VENs). (a) A lateral view of the brain, with fronto-insular cortex (FI) shown in red. (b) A medial view of the brain, with anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) shown in red [10].
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![Figure 5: Von Economo neuron compared to Pyramidal neuron [5].](profile/Adamu-Abubakar-Sadeeq/publication/280712919/figure/fig5/AS:614198392410113@1523447716231/Von-Economo-neuron-compared-to-Pyramidal-neuron-5_Q320.jpg)
Von Economo neurons (VENs) are large bipolar neurons found in the
anterior cingulate, frontoinsular and dorso-lateral prefrontal cortices of great
apes and the humans. VENs are defined by their thin, elongated cell body
and long dendrites projecting from the apical and basal ends. These neurons
are mostly present in particularly high densities in c...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... Economo neurons: A Review of the Anatomy and Functions a single basal dendrite. They are found exclusively in layer Vb of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and fronto-insular cortex (FI) as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and have been identified in human dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), Brodmann area [3,18]. Its large apical axon and high-volume, elongated soma is similar to that of the cortical pyramidal neuron, but the VEN lacks the pyramidal neuron's numerous basal dendrites, instead receiving inputs from a comparatively small subset of cortex; the average VEN is about 5 times larger than the average layer 5 pyramidal cells as shown in Figures 3 and 5 [5,8]. Their structural similarity to pyramidal neurons suggests that VENs may play a similar functional role, and because the speed at which neurons conduct information typically co-varies with the diameter of their axon, the large VENs may do so very quickly compared to other neurons as in Figure 3 [2,7]. VENs are relatively rare, comprising 1-2% of the total neurons in layer 5 of the ACC [4,19]. In FI, VENs are 30% more numerous in the right hemisphere than the left a hempispherization that occurs in the first four years of postnatal development in humans ...
Citations
... As previously mentioned, whether VENs correspond to a modification of pyramidal cells or a specific neuronal type, we consider that VENs may fulfil a specific functional role associated with limbic cortical structures because they are restricted to those areas in humans. This is supported by evidence that has shown that VENs predominantly make connections with subcortical limbic and autonomic structures (Ibegbu et al. 2015). ...
Von Economo neurons (VENs) have been mentioned in the medical literature since the second half of the 19th century; however, it was not until the second decade of the 20th century that their cytomorphology was described in detail. To date, VENs have been found in limbic sectors of the frontal, temporal and insular lobes. In humans, their density seems to decrease in the caudo‐rostral and ventro‐dorsal direction; that is, from the anterior regions of the cingulate and insular cortices towards the frontal pole and the superior frontal gyrus. Several studies have provided similar descriptions of the shape of the VEN soma, but the size of the soma varies from one cortical region to another. There is consensus among different authors about the selective vulnerability of VENs in certain pathologies, in which a deterioration of the capacities involved in social behaviour is observed. In this review, we propose that the restriction of VENs towards the sectors linked to limbic information processing in Homo sapiens gives them a possible functional role in relation to the structures in which they are located. However, given the divergence in characteristics such as location, density, size and biochemical profile among VENs of different cortical sectors, the activities in which they participate could allow them to partake in a wide spectrum of neurological functions, including autonomic responses and executive functions. VENs are present in the limbic sectors of the human frontal and insular lobes. VENs density decreases in the caudo‐rostral and ventro‐dorsal directions. VENs could participate in autonomous responses and executive functions.
... The number of VENs is much greater in the right ACC and right frontoinsular cortex compared to the left side. It is suggested that this predominance is due to the right hemisphere specialization in controlling and expressing social emotions [27,28]. The right frontoinsular cortex has a significant role in coordinating autonomic outflow with processed sensory information associated with affective, homeostatic, motivational, and hedonic conditions [25]. ...
Depression is the second leading cause of disability in the world. Despite developing some efficacious treatments, many patients do not respond to the treatment well due to the complexity of depression and unknown mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis. It has been reported that patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) experience autonomic dysfunctions in different aspects. Evidence suggests that modulation of the autonomic nervous system may improve depression. Von economo neurons (VENs) are shown to be involved in the pathophysiology of some of the neurological and psychological diseases. VENs are also important for the “ego” formation, sense of empathy, intuition, and cognition. These neurons express a high level of adrenoreceptor alpha 1a, which confirms their role in the autonomic function. Here, based on some evidence, I propose the hypothesis that these neurons may play a role in depression, possibly through being involved in the autonomic function. More focused studies on VENs and their possible role in depression is suggested in future. This pathway may open a new window in the treatment of depression.
... Moreover, there are still no satisfactory functional studies on VENs that would correlate their unique morphology and cortical/laminar distribution to their role in the human brain, even though several papers speculated on the functional, clinical, and evolutionary relevance of VENs (Allman et al., 2001(Allman et al., , 2011aWatson and Allman, 2007;Seeley et al., 2012;Butti et al., 2013;Cauda et al., 2013Cauda et al., , 2014Ibegbu et al., 2015;Evrard, 2018;Bruton, 2021). In addition, studies that focused on molecular profiling of VENs yielded not a single specific marker that could be used to identify these cells without relying on morphological descriptions. ...
The pioneering work by von Economo in 1925 on the cytoarchitectonics of the cerebral cortex revealed a specialized and unique cell type in the adult human fronto-insular (FI) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). In modern studies, these neurons are termed von Economo neurons (VENs). In his work, von Economo described them as stick, rod or corkscrew cells because of their extremely elongated and relatively thin cell body clearly distinguishable from common oval or spindle-shaped infragranular principal neurons. Before von Economo, in 1899 Cajal depicted the unique somato-dendritic morphology of such cells with extremely elongated soma in the FI. However, although VENs are increasingly investigated, Cajal’s observation is still mainly being neglected. On Golgi staining in humans, VENs have a thick and long basal trunk with horizontally oriented terminal branching (basilar skirt) from where the axon arises. They are clearly distinguishable from a spectrum of modified pyramidal neurons found in infragranular layers, including oval or spindle-shaped principal neurons. Spindle-shaped cells with highly elongated cell body were also observed in the ACC of great apes, but despite similarities in soma shape, their dendritic and axonal morphology has still not been described in sufficient detail. Studies identifying VENs in non-human species are predominantly done on Nissl or anti-NeuN staining. In most of these studies, the dendritic and axonal morphology of the analyzed cells was not demonstrated and many of the cells found on Nissl or anti-NeuN staining had a cell body shape characteristic for common oval or spindle-shaped cells. Here we present an extensive literature overview on VENs, which demonstrates that human VENs are specialized elongated principal cells with unique somato-dendritic morphology found abundantly in the FI and ACC of the human brain. More research is needed to properly evaluate the presence of such specialized cells in other primates and non-primate species.
... Characterized as fast projecting cells, VENs in the insular area are speculated to be associated with interoception, emotional processing, and task-directed responses (Seeley et al., 2006;Ibegbu et al., 2015). ...
With rates of psychiatric illnesses such as depression continuing to rise, additional preclinical models are needed to facilitate translational neuroscience research. In the current study, the raccoon (Procyon lotor) was investigated due to its similarities with primate brains, including comparable proportional neuronal densities, cortical magnification of the forepaw area, and cortical gyrification. Specifically, we report on the cytoarchitectural characteristics of raccoons profiled as high, intermediate, or low solvers in a multi-access problem-solving task. Isotropic fractionation indicated that high-solvers had significantly more cells in the hippocampus (HC) than the other solving groups; further, a nonsignificant trend suggested that this increase in cell profile density was due to increased non-neuronal (e.g., glial) cells. Group differences were not observed in the cellular density of the somatosensory cortex. Thionin-based staining confirmed the presence of von Economo neurons (VENs) in the frontoinsular (FI) cortex, although no impact of solving ability on VEN cell profile density levels was observed. Elongated fusiform cells were quantified in the hippocampus dentate gyrus where high-solvers were observed to have higher levels of this cell type than the other solving groups. In sum, the current findings suggest that varying cytoarchitectural phenotypes contribute to cognitive flexibility. Additional research is necessary to determine the translational value of cytoarchitectural distribution patterns on adaptive behavioral outcomes associated with cognitive performance and mental health.
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... Of note, two SEN regionsthe anterior cingulate cortex and the anterior insulaare the only brain areas that contain a specialized class of neurons, Von Economo neurons, that are responsible for the rapid relay of biologically-relevant information across long distances in the brain (see Ibegbu et al., 2014 for a review). Given this critical function, and that these neurons develop rapidly during early childhood (Ibegbu et al., 2014), nutritional deficiencies, inflammation, and/or exposure to environmental toxins during childhood may be particularly detrimental to the development of the SEN. Future multi-level studies, coupled with parallel research in experimental animal models, may be better equipped to identify the mechanisms underlying the link between community SED and neurodevelopment. ...
... Considering aspects such as its biochemical profile, the functional role of the cortical regions that host them, its late onset in fetal development and their postnatal total number increase, several studies have even suggested that VENs could be related to emotional processing, social cognition, intuition and decision making in complex contexts (Allman et al., 2005;Cauda et al., 2013;Ibegbu et al., 2015). In addition, there are studies that suggest that these cells participate in an important network for conscious activity (Aimaretti et al., 2004;Fischer et al., 2016). ...
The von Economo neurons (VEN) are characterized by a large soma, spindle-like soma, with little dendritic arborization at both, the basal and apical poles. In humans, VENs have been described in the entorhinal cortex, the hippocampal formation, the anterior cingulate cortex, the rostral portion of the insula and the dorsomedial Brodmann's area 9 (BA9). These cortical regions have been associated with cognitive functions such as social interactions, intuition and emotional processing. Previous studies that searched for the presence of these cells in the lateral frontal poles yielded negative results. The presence of VENs in other cortical areas on the medial surface of the human prefrontal cortex which share both a common functional network and similar laminar organization, led us to examine its presence in the medial portion of the frontal pole. In the present study, we used tissue samples from five postmortem subjects taken from the polar portion of BA10, on the medial surface of both hemispheres. We found VENs in the human medial BA10, although they are very scarce and dispersed. We also observed crests and walls of the gyrus to quantitatively assess: (A) interhemispheric asymmetries, (B) the VENs/pyramidal ratio, (C) the area of the soma of VENs and (D) the difference in soma area between VENs and pyramidal and fusiform cells. We found that VENs are at least seven times more abundant on the right hemisphere and at least 2.5 times more abundant in the crest than in the walls of the gyrus. The soma size of VENs in the medial frontopolar cortex is larger than that of pyramidal and fusiform cells of layer VI, and their size is larger in the walls than in the crests. Our finding might be a contribution to the understanding of the role of these neurons in the functional networks in which all the areas in which they have been found are linked. However, the particularities of VENs in the frontal pole, as their size and quantity, may also lead us to interpret the findings in the light of other positions such as van Essen's theory of tension-based brain morphogenesis.
... Considering aspects such as its biochemical profile, the functional role of the cortical regions that host them, its late onset in fetal development and their postnatal total number increase, several studies have even suggested that VENs could be related to emotional processing, social cognition, intuition and decision making in complex contexts (Allman et al., 2005;Cauda et al., 2013;Ibegbu et al., 2015). In addition, there are studies that suggest that these cells participate in an important network for conscious activity (Aimaretti et al., 2004;Fischer et al., 2016). ...
The von Economo neurons (VEN) are characterized by a large soma, spindle-like soma, with little dendritic arborization at both, the basal and apical poles. In humans, VENs have been described in the entorhinal cortex, the hippocampal formation, the anterior cingulate cortex, the rostral portion of the insula and the dorsomedial Brodmann’s area 9 (BA9). These cortical regions have been associated with cognitive functions such as social interactions, intuition and emotional processing. Previous studies that searched for the presence of these cells in the lateral frontal poles yielded negative results. The presence of VENs in other cortical areas on the medial surface of the human prefrontal cortex which share both a common functional network and similar laminar organization, led us to examine its presence in the medial portion of the frontal pole. In the present
study, we used tissue samples from five postmortem subjects taken from the polar portion of BA10, on the medial surface of both hemispheres. We found VENs in the human medial BA10, although they are very scarce and dispersed. We also observed crests and walls of the gyrus to quantitatively assess: (A) interhemispheric asymmetries, (B) the VENs/pyramidal ratio, (C) the area of the soma of VENs and (D) the difference in soma area between VENs and pyramidal and fusiform cells. We found that VENs are at least seven times more abundant on the right hemisphere and at least 2.5 times
more abundant in the crest than in the walls of the gyrus. The soma size of VENs in the medial frontopolar cortex is larger than that of pyramidal and fusiform cells of layer VI, and their size is larger in the walls than in the crests. Our finding might be a contribution to the understanding of the role of these neurons in the functional networks in which all the areas in which they have been found are linked. However, the particularities of VENs in the frontal pole, as their size and quantity, may also lead us to interpret the findings in the light of other positions such as van Essen’s theory of tension-based brain
morphogenesis.
... The number of VENs is much greater in the right ACC and right frontoinsular cortex compared to the left side. It is suggested that this predominance is due to the right hemisphere specialization in controlling and expressing social emotions [27,28]. The right frontoinsular cortex has a significant role in coordinating autonomic outflow with processed sensory information associated with affective, homeostatic, motivational, and hedonic conditions [25]. ...
https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1W4stbfPizRdA
Federico García Lorca creó un neologismo semántico: «encanto misterioso e inefable», para definir el duende. Él mismo afirma que «todas las artes son capaces de duende», pero que es la música, la danza y la poesía hablada donde encuentra más campo por precisar estas de un cuerpo vivo que interprete. El duende no puede ser más que emoción, y como tal, está dormido y se activa en determinadas circunstancias acompañándose de una respuesta fisiológica y corporal florida. La emoción es una de las principales razones por las que las personas se involucran e interactúan con la música. La música despierta sentimientos y respuestas fisiológicas asociadas. Estos cambios dinámicos parecen estar asociados con la intensidad experimentada de las emociones, culminando a veces en sensaciones placenteras como «escalofríos» que pueden indicar la liberación de endorfinas. Esta podría ser la base neurocientífica de lo que llamamos duende.
