A review of analogies between some neuroanatomical terms and roman household objects

Abstract

Wishing to contribute to an easier remembrance of the name, shape, location and function of some neuroanatomical structures, this paper aims to identify the origin of eight Latin terms (pulvinar, capsula, infundibulum, operculum, flocculus, forceps, falx, habenula). Therefore, we analyzed the etymology of these Latin neuroanatomical terms in brief, and searched the possible correlations between the shape of different household objects used in Roman Antiquity and the shape of neuroanatomical structures bearing those names. We also perused the literature to identify the first anatomist who made such an analogy when searching to give a name to the anatomical structure he had discovered at dissection, as well as the time context of his discovery. We found knowledge of few neuroanatomical structures tracing their origin to Antiquity, but most of the nervous structures we have studied were discovered in the 19th century, when the German school of anatomy played a distinctive part. However, the multitude of Latin words designating neuroanatomical structures by analogy is an undeniable proof of neuroanatomists' amazing imagination.

Keywords: Household object; Latin language; Neuroanatomical terminology; Roman Antiquity.