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A tension-based theory of morphogenesis and compact wiring in the central nervous system

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  • David C. Van Essen

    (Washington University School of Medicine)

Abstract

Many structural features of the mammalian central nervous system can be explained by a morphogenetic mechanism that involves mechanical tension along axons, dendrites and glial processes. In the cerebral cortex, for example, tension along axons in the white matter can explain how and why the cortex folds in a characteristic species-specific pattern. In the cerebellum, tension along parallel fibres can explain why the cortex is highly elongated but folded like an accordion. By keeping the aggregate length of axonal and dendritic wiring low, tension should contribute to the compactness of neural circuitry throughout the adult brain.

Suggested Citation

  • David C. Van Essen, 1997. "A tension-based theory of morphogenesis and compact wiring in the central nervous system," Nature, Nature, vol. 385(6614), pages 313-318, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:385:y:1997:i:6614:d:10.1038_385313a0
    DOI: 10.1038/385313a0
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    Cited by:

    1. Amanda Worker & Camilla Blain & Jozef Jarosz & K Ray Chaudhuri & Gareth J Barker & Steven C R Williams & Richard Brown & P Nigel Leigh & Andrew Simmons, 2014. "Cortical Thickness, Surface Area and Volume Measures in Parkinson's Disease, Multiple System Atrophy and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(12), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Cecilia L Friedrichs-Maeder & Alessandra Griffa & Juliane Schneider & Petra Susan Hüppi & Anita Truttmann & Patric Hagmann, 2017. "Exploring the role of white matter connectivity in cortex maturation," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(5), pages 1-18, May.
    3. Bruton, Oliver J., 2021. "Is there a “g-neuron”? Establishing a systematic link between general intelligence (g) and the von Economo neuron," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    4. Michael B Kranz & Michelle W Voss & Gillian E Cooke & Sarah E Banducci & Agnieszka Z Burzynska & Arthur F Kramer, 2018. "The cortical structure of functional networks associated with age-related cognitive abilities in older adults," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(9), pages 1-26, September.
    5. Claus C Hilgetag & Helen Barbas, 2006. "Role of Mechanical Factors in the Morphology of the Primate Cerebral Cortex," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 2(3), pages 1-14, March.
    6. Julien Lefèvre & Jean-François Mangin, 2010. "A Reaction-Diffusion Model of Human Brain Development," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(4), pages 1-10, April.
    7. Kara E. Garcia & Xiaojie Wang & Christopher D. Kroenke, 2021. "A model of tension-induced fiber growth predicts white matter organization during brain folding," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.
    8. Ashish Raj & Yu-hsien Chen, 2011. "The Wiring Economy Principle: Connectivity Determines Anatomy in the Human Brain," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(9), pages 1-11, September.
    9. Deborah A Striegel & Monica K Hurdal, 2009. "Chemically Based Mathematical Model for Development of Cerebral Cortical Folding Patterns," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(9), pages 1-6, September.
    10. Benjamin B. Sun & Stephanie J. Loomis & Fabrizio Pizzagalli & Natalia Shatokhina & Jodie N. Painter & Christopher N. Foley & Megan E. Jensen & Donald G. McLaren & Sai Spandana Chintapalli & Alyssa H. , 2022. "Genetic map of regional sulcal morphology in the human brain from UK biobank data," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    11. David Samu & Anil K Seth & Thomas Nowotny, 2014. "Influence of Wiring Cost on the Large-Scale Architecture of Human Cortical Connectivity," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(4), pages 1-24, April.

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