Initially, I can’t get straight on the name nor the spelling of each of these cells. Certainly, writing this post helps!
I recognize a Purkinje neuron by its branching dendrites. This tree-like form holding space and presence, is named after Jan Evangelista Purkyně.
The Purkinje cell body is one of the largest in the human brain. I call this one ↓ First Born, because aside from being the first neurons identified, I also learn they are born during the earliest stages of cerebellar neurogenesis (in an interesting location of the cerebellum that connects the 2 hemispheres).
Purkinje cell – a few notes:
Specific to the cerebellar cortex.
Motor control and learning.
Most purkinje release GABA.
Distinct. Intricate. Arbor.
Flat and dendritic (threadlike extensions)
They can be affected by both genetics and environment.
The Pyramidal Neuron, ↓ named for its shape, includes two dendritic trees, the basal (bottom layer) and apical (top) dendrites. I planned to center and only highlight one, but I admit they’re fun to paint, so I line up several.
Pyramidal cell – some notes:
Found in cerebral cortex ( ← 2/3 of all neurons in this cortex), hippocampus and amygdala.
Multi-polar.
Release glutamate (excitatory neurons) and GABA (inhibitory neurons).
They send their axon a long distance out of the brain, down the spinal cord to muscle (projection neurons / movers and shakers).
Big. Bountiful. Beautiful.
High level functions include memory and consciousness.
Problems with this cell can have profound consequences.
The Tucson Art Museum will be showing these and other (over 30) small studies related to the brain (including brain regions, cells, CNS, eye and gut). This series, which I am currently completing and framing, will exhibit along with my human studies and will naturally be called → Nothing In Stasis.
One more note:
I came across a word last month…
Consilience, defined as an agreement between approaches to a topic of different academic subjects especially science and the humanities. #IHaveAnAffinityToThisWord
I can’t decide if I should name this series of small works on black paper Consilience? Or Constellation? A ver qué pasa…
#UrBeautfifulBrain
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Monica Aissa Martinez 