Leonardo da Vinci and Neuroscience

Leonardo da Vinci y la Neurociencia

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1529) was a renowned figure who made far-reaching contributions to science and art. He was very interested in anatomy and physiology during his time at the workshop of Andrea d´ Verrocchio, which would increase over time with his own dissections and descriptions. Thanks to his prodigious hands he conducted multiple procedures on human cadavers and dead animals, along with some experiments which fed his interest into physiology. He first drew the skull and the encephalon. He undertook his study of the brain from the outside to the inside, by layers. He schematized and even replicated some structures that at that time played a fundamental role in providing explanations on the human body. Regarding the encephalon, he described the olfactory bulb and the course of some branches of the cranial nerves. He was especially interested in making a detailed study of the cerebral ventricles influenced by the theories proposed by his predecessors, which he integrated with his discoveries to explain the functions attributed to them at that time. In addition, he made pioneering experiments on neurophysiology through his study of the spinal cord of frogs. He extensively worked in anatomy and physiology, which led to great contributions in these fields. Unfortunately these discoveries went unpublished. Nearly three centuries had to pass before they were interpreted.