El tracto cortico espinal: perspectiva histórica / The corticospinal tract: historical perspective

RESUMEN: La neuroanatomía y la neurofisiología han permitido en gran parte entender de forma más integrada las estructuras que conforman el sistema nervioso y los mecanismos asociados con la transmisión de los potenciales de acción, relacionados con la vía corticoespinal en la ejecución de movimientos voluntarios. Se realizó una revisión histórica sobre la vía corticoespinal, desde el punto de vista neuroanatómico y neurofisiológico mediante una revisión de literatura en distintas bases de datos y libros de texto dedicados a estas vías nerviosas. La información obtenida se ordenó cronológicamente, seleccionando los datos más relevantes que desde el punto de vista neuroanatómico y neurofisiológico han permitido comprender su mecanismo funcional. Actualmente se tiene un conocimiento muy depurado de los distintos elementos que componen la vía corticoespinal, lo que permitirá su aplicación en el campo de la salud y resolver múltiples problemas de la función motora.

SUMMARY: Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology have, in large part, permitted a more thorough understanding of those structures that conform the nervous system and mechanisms associated with the transmission of action potentials associated with the corticospinal tract. This assertion is made based upon a literature review of various databases and textbooks dedicated to said nerve tracts. The information obtained was ordered chronologically, and data was selected that, from the neuroanatomical and neurophysiological viewpoints, were most relevant and have permitted the comprehension of its functional mechanism. The thorough understanding of those elements that compose the corticospinal tract will permit its application in the health field and resolve multiple motor function problems.

Luigi Luciani (1840-1919) - the Italian Claude Bernard with German shaping, and his studies on the cerebellum with projections to nowadays / Luigi Luciani (1840-1919) - o italiano Claude Bernard com formação alemã, e seus estudos sobre o cerebelo com projeções na atualidade

Luigi Luciani (1840-1919) was an illustrious Italian citizen and physiologist whose research scope covered mainly cardiovascular subjects, the nervous system, and fasting. He published in 1891 a modern landmark of the study of cerebellar physiology - "Il cervelletto: nuovistudi di normal and pathología physiology" / "The cerebellum: new studies on normal and pathological physiology." In his experiment, a dog survived after cerebellectomy, reporting a triad of symptoms (asthenia, atonia, and astasia). In this way, the eminent neurophysiologist improved the operative technique and sterile processes to redirect the issue of cerebellar symptoms. Luciani died at age 78, a hundred years ago, and left mainly the understanding of the role of the cerebellum in regulating postural tone and muscle strength, which represented a step forward in understanding cerebellar motor physiology. In recent decades, cognitive / affective function has been added to the cerebellar motor, and there has also been a better understanding of cerebellar circuits.

Luigi Luciani (1840-1919) foi um ilustre cidadão e fisiologista italiano, cujo escopo de pesquisa abrangia principalmente assuntos cardiovasculares, sistema nervoso e jejum. Ele publicou em 1891 um marco moderno do estudo da fisiologia do cerebelo - "Il cervelletto: nuovistudi di fisiologia normale and patologica" / "O cerebelo: novos estudos sobre fisiologia normal e patológica". Em seu experimento, um cão sobreviveu após a cerebelectomia, com o relatório de uma tríade de sintomas (astenia, atonia e astasia). Dessa maneira, o eminente neurofisiologista aprimorou a técnica operatória e os processos estéreis para redirecionar a questão dos sintomas cerebelares. Luciani morreu aos 78 anos, cem anos atrás, e deixou principalmente a compreensão do papel do cerebelo na regulação do tônus postural e da força muscular, o que representou um passo adiante na compreensão da fisiologia motora cerebelar. Nas últimas décadas, a função cognitivo / afetiva foi adicionada à motora cerebelar e, também, houve uma melhor compreensão dos circuitos do cerebelo.

Aristides Leão: a birth centennial homage with comments on his spreading depression / Aristides Leão: homenagem ao centenário de nascimento com comentários sobre sua depressão alastrante

The year of 2014 is the birth centenary of Aristides Azevedo Pacheco Leão (1914-1993), and also marks seventy years of the publication of his discovery of the novel electrophysiological phenomenon, named by him “spreading depression” (SD), soon designated “Leão’s wave” or “Leão’s spreading depression”. This was a remarkable scientific milestone, and the author must be celebrated for this achievement, as the studies he triggered proceeded worldwide, with new concepts, as spreading depolarization, until the present days. Robust experimental and clinical evidence emerged to suggest that these and related electrophysiological phenomena are involved in the mechanisms of migraine aura, acute cerebrovascular diseases, traumatic brain injury, transient global amnesia, epileptic seizures, and their pathophysiological characteristics come to offer new therapeutic perspectives. He was a remarkable and complex personality, and the authors remit the readers to a paper where his personal life is contemplated.

O ano de 2014 é o centenário de nascimento de Aristides Azevedo Pacheco Leão (1914-1993), e também assinala setenta anos da publicação de sua descoberta, que ele denominou “depressão alastrante” (DA), logo designada “onda de Leão” ou “depressão alastrante de Leão”. Foi um notável marco científico e o autor deve ser celebrado por esse feito, considerando que estudos que desencadeou continuaram no mundo todo, com novos conceitos, como a despolarização alastrante, até os dias atuais. Evidência experimental e clínica robusta emergiram sugerindo que esses fenômenos eletofisiológicos e outros relacionados encontram-se envolvidos nos mecanismos da aura da enxaqueca, doenças cerebrovasculares agudas, lesão cerebral traumática, amnésia global transitória, crises epiléticas, sendo que suas características fisiopatológicas vêm oferecer novas perspectivas terapêuticas. Foi uma personalidade complexa e notável, e os autores remetem os leitores para um artigo no qual sua vida pessoal é contemplada.

Claude Bernard: bicentenary of birth and his main contributions to neurology / Claude Bernard: bicentenário do nascimento e suas principais contribuições à neurologia

Claude Bernard (1813-1878) followed two main research paths: the chemical and physiological study of digestion and liver function, along with experimental section of nerves and studies on sympathetic nerves. Curare studies were, for example, of longstanding interest. His profound mental creativity and hand skillfulness, besides methodology quality, directed his experiments and findings, mainly at the Collège de France. His broader and epistemological concerns were carried out at the Sorbonne and later at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. His insight gave clues to define the “ milieu intérieur”, later known as “homeostasis”, and grasp the brain complexity. Bernard followed and surpassed his master François Magendie who also fought against dogmas and laid the foundations of experimental medicine, and its main heinous tool – vivisection. Bernard created the methodological bases of experimental medicine, and collected honors as a renowned researcher.

Em suas pesquisas, Claude Bernard (1813-1878) seguiu dois caminhos principais: o estudo fisiológico e químico da digestão e da função hepática; a seção experimental de nervos e os estudos sobre nervos simpáticos. Estudos sobre curare, por exemplo, foram de interesse duradouro. Suas profundas criatividade mental e habilidade manual, além da qualidade metodológica, conduziram às suas experiências e descobertas, principalmente no Collège de France. Seus interesses sobre temas epistemológicos mais amplos foram conduzidos na Sorbonne e, posteriormente, no Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. Seu discernimento deu subsídios para definir o “ milieu intérieur ”, mais tarde conhecido como “homeostase”, e para ajudar a compreender a complexidade do cérebro. Bernard seguiu e superou seu mestre François Magendie. Este também lutou contra dogmas e lançou os fundamentos da medicina experimental, utilizando sua principal ferramenta hedionda – a vivissecção. Bernard ampliou estes estudos e criou as bases metodológicas da medicina experimental, tendo colecionado honrarias como renomado pesquisador.

John Hughlings Jackson: um neurologista inglês / John Hughlings Jackson: a British neurologist

John Hughlings Jackson tornou-se médico e neurologista por uma via atípica e sem frequentar qualquer universidade. Entretanto, sua mente brilhante e a admirável capacidade de trabalho levaram-no a produzir conhecimentos que repercutem até os dias de hoje, nas áreas do diagnóstico neurológico, epilepsia, localização cerebral, níveis evolucionários do sistema nervoso e sua hierarquia, entre outros. Diversas das condições que descreveu foram designadas com seu nome. É admirável que essa produção médico-científica tenha sido baseada inteiramente na sua aguçada capacidade de observação clínica. Foi a personalidade que mudou a neurologia inglesa, dando-lhe um status que carecia no meio nacional e internacional. É considerado o "pai" da neurologia inglesa.

John Hughlings Jackson became a physician and neurologist through an atypical way, and without attending any university. However, his brilliant mind and amazing capacity for work led him to produce knowledge that resounds until the present days, in areas of neurological diagnosis, epilepsy, brain localization, evolutionary levels of the nervous system and their hierarchies, among others. Several conditions that he described were named after him. It is admirable that this medical-scientyphic production was founded entirely in his sharp ability of clinical observation. He was the personality that changedthe English neurology providing a status it lacked in the national and international milieu. He is considered the "father" of the English neurology.

Experiment at Bedside: Harvey Cushing's Neurophysiological Research / 의사학

No abstract in English.

Francisco Varela (1946-2001): filling the mind-brain gap: a life adventure

One of the most eminent neuroscientists recently passed away in Paris. Professor Francisco Varela was a scholar that approached science with a remarkably broad and integrative perspective, deeply contributing to a diversity of fields, from mathematics to epistemology, from immunology to neuroscience. He was strongly influenced by Buddhism and actively participated in unraveling the relationship between science and spirituality. This article introduces a special edition of Biological Research dedicated to the memory of this great man. It contains a collection of valuable contributions by various authors who collaborated with Varela at different moments of his outstanding scientific career. Their articles cover most of the fields in which he made contributions.

Development of neurophysiology in the early twentieth century: Charles Scott Sherrington and The Integrative action of the nervous system / 의사학

No abstract available.

In memoriam professor Hugo Adrian

In memoriam Professor Hugo Adrian, born 1926, deceased 1994, in Santiago, Chile. After completion of his studies in veterinary medicine, he followed a successful career in neurophysiological research. He was Research Associate (1961-1962) and Visiting Professor (1973-1976) at the Neurophysiology Department University of Wisconsin, USA. He was the first Director (1958-1960) of the Institute of Physiology at the Austral University, Valdivia, and was Professor (1963-1973; 1977-1994) and Chairman of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile, where he led a group of researchers in auditory physiology, introduced the use of computer techniques to physiological studies, and developed several projects of applied neurophysiology

The Development of I. P. Pavlov's Conditioned Reflex Theory / 의사학

This paper deals with the theory of Ivan Petrovich Pavlov(1849-1936), a Russian physiologist, who presented for the first time the systematic theory of the function of the brain that controls the whole behavior of animals, i.e. higher nervous activity through experimental studies. This paper, principally based on Lectures on Conditioned Reflexed(1928), investigates the development of conditioned reflex theory from its beginning by dividing it into three periods. First, during the period from 1898 to 1906, the fundamental concept of conditioned reflex was established and the study of conditioned reflex became an independent discipline. From 1907 to 1916, the second period, Pavlov theorized on higher nervous activity on the basis of extensive data from his laboratory experiments of conditioned reflex. And Pavlov complemented conditioned reflex theory, during the third period from 1916 to 1928, and extended the boundaries of it through applications of conditioned reflex theory to psychopathology and typology. The study contributes to the understanding that conditioned reflex theory was historically developed, and not presented as a complete form from the beginning, and that Pavlov intended to study the higher nervous activity through the method of neurophysiology.