Cited by 280Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeural dynamics and brain functionMemory and Neural Mechanisms

Dendritic and Axonal Architecture of Individual Pyramidal Neurons across Layers of Adult Human Neocortex

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Mohan, Hemanth, Verhoog, Matthijs B., Doreswamy, Keerthi K., Eyal, Guy, Aardse, Romy, Lodder, Brendan N., Goriounova, Natalia A., Asamoah, Boateng +11 more·2015·Cerebral Cortex

Abstract

The size and shape of dendrites and axons are strong determinants of neuronal information processing. Our knowledge on neuronal structure and function is primarily based on brains of laboratory animals. Whether it translates to human is not known since quantitative data on "full" human neuronal morphologies are lacking. Here, we obtained human brain tissue during resection surgery and reconstructed basal and apical dendrites and axons of individual neurons across all cortical layers in temporal cortex (Brodmann area 21). Importantly, morphologies did not correlate to etiology, disease severity, or disease duration. Next, we show that human L(ayer) 2 and L3 pyramidal neurons have 3-fold larger dendritic length and increased branch complexity with longer segments compared with temporal cortex neurons from macaque and mouse. Unsupervised cluster analysis classified 88% of human L2 and L3 neurons into human-specific clusters distinct from mouse and macaque neurons. Computational modeling of passive electrical properties to assess the functional impact of large dendrites indicates stronger signal attenuation of electrical inputs compared with mouse. We thus provide a quantitative analysis of "full" human neuron morphologies and present direct evidence that human neurons are not "scaled-up" versions of rodent or macaque neurons, but have unique structural and functional properties.

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Crossref · 10.1093/cercor/bhv188

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  • There is evidence for significant neuronal differences between rodents and humans, including distinct membrane and synaptic properties and dendritic complexity of human neurons that might contribute to human-specific signal processing.

    “Indeed there is evidence for significant neuronal differences between rodents and human; for example, distinct membrane8,9 and synaptic10–14 properties and dendritic complexity15–17 of human neurons might contribute to human specific signal processing.”

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Authors
Mohan, H., Verhoog, M. B., Doreswamy, K. K., Eyal, G., Aardse, R., Lodder, B. N., Goriounova, N. A., Asamoah, B., B. Brakspear, A. B. C., Groot, C., van der Sluis, S., Testa-Silva, G., Obermayer, J., Boudewijns, Z. S. R. M., Narayanan, R. T., Baayen, J. C., Segev, I., Mansvelder, H. D., & de Kock, C. P. J.
Affiliations
  • Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
  • Hebrew University of Jerusalem (IL)
  • Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
Venue
Cerebral Cortex
Published
2015-08-28
Volume
25
Issue
12
Pages
4839-4853
ISSN
  • 1047-3211 (ISSN-L)
  • 1460-2199
OpenAlex
W1938051493
Cited by
280
References
77
Citations by year
2026: 26 · 2025: 42 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 9
FWCI
5.97
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc
Locations
  • Cerebral Cortex (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Amsterdam UMC (VU Amsterdam) - Institutional Repository (publishedVersion)
  • VU Research Portal (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Netherlands Scientific Organization (VIDI-452-12-014)
  • Hersenstichting Nederland (2010(1)-09)
  • Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research
  • Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam
  • VU University Amsterdam
  • Human Brain Project
  • Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (917.76.360, 912.06.148, 604102)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Keywords
human neocortex, pyramidal neurons, dendritic morphology, axon morphology, cortical layers, temporal cortex, dendritic length, dendritic branching, passive electrical properties, signal attenuation, cross-species comparison
MeSH terms
Adult, Aged, Animals, Axons, Dendrites, Epilepsy, Female, Humans, Macaca fascicularis, Macaca mulatta, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Middle Aged, Species Specificity, Temporal Lobe, Cluster Analysis, Pyramidal Cells, Neocortex, Mice, Young Adult

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