Buxhoeveden Daniel P, Casanova Manuel F
Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Ga., USA.
Brain Behav Evol. 2002;60(3):125-51. doi: 10.1159/000065935.
The minicolumn is generally considered an elementary unit of the neocortex in all mammalian brains. This essential building block has been affected by changes in the circuitry of the cortex during evolution. Researchers believe that enlargement of the cortical surface occurs through the addition of minicolumns rather than of single neurons. Therefore, minicolumns integrate cortical encephalization with organization. Despite these insights, few studies have analyzed the morphometry of the minicolumn to detect subtle but important differences among the brains of diverse mammals. The notion that minicolumns are essentially unchanged across species is challenged by strong evidence to the contrary. Because they are subject to species-specific variation, they can be used as a way to study evolutionary changes. Unfortunately, comparative studies are marred by a lack of standardized techniques, tissue preparation, cortical regions, or anatomical feature studied. However, recent advances in methodology enable standardized, quantified comparisons of minicolumn morphology.
在所有哺乳动物的大脑中，微柱通常被认为是新皮层的基本单位。这个基本构建块在进化过程中受到了皮层神经回路变化的影响。研究人员认为，皮层表面的扩大是通过添加微柱而不是单个神经元实现的。因此，微柱将皮层脑化与组织整合在一起。尽管有这些见解，但很少有研究分析微柱的形态计量学，以检测不同哺乳动物大脑之间细微但重要的差异。微柱在物种间基本不变的观点受到了强有力的反证的挑战。由于它们会受到物种特异性变异的影响，因此可以用作研究进化变化的一种方式。不幸的是，比较研究因缺乏标准化技术、组织制备、皮层区域或所研究的解剖特征而受到影响。然而，最近方法学上的进展使得对微柱形态进行标准化、定量比较成为可能。
