Neuromorphology
The study involves looking at a particular part of the nervous system from a molecular and cellular level and connecting it to a physiological and anatomical point of view.
It took nearly a century after the acceptance of the cell as the basic unit of life before researchers could agree upon the shape of a neuron.
[7] The geometry of neurons often depends on the cell type and the history of received stimuli that is processed through the synapses.
However, there is also a growing evidence for volume transmission, a process that involves electrochemical interactions from the whole cell membrane.
The neuromorphology of nervous tissue is dependent upon genes and other factors, such as electric fields, ionic waves, and gravity.
Gravitational neuromorphology studies the effects of altered gravity on the architecture of the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems.
This technique contrasts with the older method, model-based stereology, which utilized previously determined models as a guide.
The more current design-based stereology allows researchers to probe the morphology of neurons without having to make assumptions about their size, shape, orientation or distribution.
[15] Confocal microscopy is the microscopic procedure of choice for examining neuron structures as it produces sharp images with improved resolution and decreased signal-to-noise ratio.
The specific way this microscopy works allows one to look at one confocal plane at a time, which is optimal when viewing neuronal structures.
Recently, some researchers have actually been combining design-based stereology and confocal microscopy to further their investigations into the specific neuronal cellular structures.
Cortical mapping is defined as the process of characterizing specific regions in the brain based on either anatomical or functional features.
Recent advances in functional brain imaging and statistical analysis may however prove to be sufficient in the future.
A recent development in this field called the Gray Level Index (GLI) method allows for more objective identification of cortical regions via algorithms.
Researchers have also examined and identified the neuromorphology of the human penis to better understand the role the sympathetic nervous system plays in achieving an erection.
