Russell Vivienne A
Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa.
School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Front Neuroanat. 2017 Nov 7;11:96. doi: 10.3389/fnana.2017.00096. eCollection 2017.
Neuroscience began with neuroanatomy and neurosurgery in Egypt more than 5000 years ago. Knowledge grew over time and specialized neurosurgery centers were established in north Africa in the eleventh century. However, it was not until the twentieth century that neuroscience research became established in sub-Saharan Africa. In most African countries, clinical research focused on understanding the rationale and improving treatment of epilepsy, infections, nutritional neuropathies, stroke and tumors. Significant advances were made. In the twenty-first century, African knowledge expanded to include all branches of neuroscience, contributing to genetic, biochemical and inflammatory determinants of brain disorders. A major focus of basic neuroscience research has been, and is, investigation of plant extracts, drugs and stress in animal models, providing insight and identifying potential novel therapies. A significant event in the history of African neuroscience was the founding of the Society of Neuroscientists of Africa (SONA) in 1993. The International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) supported SONA conferences, as well as workshops and neuroscience training schools in Africa. Thanks to their investment, as well as that of funding agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN), World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS), World Federation of Neurology (WFN) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), neuroscience research is well-established in Africa today. However, in order to continue to develop, African neuroscience needs continued international support and African neuroscientists need to engage in policy and decision-making to persuade governments to fund studies that address the unique regional needs in Africa.
神经科学始于5000多年前埃及的神经解剖学和神经外科。随着时间的推移，知识不断增长，11世纪在北非建立了专门的神经外科中心。然而，直到20世纪，神经科学研究才在撒哈拉以南非洲得以确立。在大多数非洲国家，临床研究专注于理解癫痫、感染、营养性神经病变、中风和肿瘤的发病原理并改善其治疗方法。取得了重大进展。在21世纪，非洲的知识领域扩展到涵盖神经科学的所有分支，为脑部疾病的遗传、生化和炎症决定因素研究做出了贡献。基础神经科学研究的一个主要重点一直是，并且现在仍然是，在动物模型中研究植物提取物、药物和应激，以提供见解并确定潜在的新疗法。非洲神经科学史上的一个重要事件是1993年非洲神经科学家协会（SONA）的成立。国际脑研究组织（IBRO）支持SONA会议以及非洲的研讨会和神经科学培训学校。由于他们以及美国国立卫生研究院（NIH）、国际神经化学学会（ISN）、世界神经外科协会联合会（WFNS）、世界神经病学联合会（WFN）和国际抗癫痫联盟（ILAE）等资助机构的投入，神经科学研究如今在非洲已稳固确立。然而，为了继续发展，非洲神经科学需要持续的国际支持，非洲神经科学家需要参与政策制定和决策，以说服政府为满足非洲独特地区需求的研究提供资金。
