Comparative study on the effectiveness of silicone and polyester-plastinated bovine brains for face-to-face and online neuroanatomy education.

Abstract

Anatomy is regarded as one of the most essential and challenging courses in veterinary medicine. The study evaluated the student perceptions of silicone and polyester-plastinated cattle brains in both face-to-face and online neuroanatomy education. A total of six cattle heads were collected from a slaughterhouse, processed using four plastination steps. These specimens were evaluated by 240 first-year veterinary students (from 248 enrolled), with 108 participating in face-to-face evaluation and 132 completing online evaluations of the specimens. The online survey for the assessments revealed that 75.9% of face-to-face participants strongly agreed that anatomical structures were well represented in silicone-plastinated whole brains (mean score: 4.7, SD: 0.6). Sliced silicone plastinates achieved 71.3% agreement on providing enhanced contrast between gray and white matter (mean score: 4.57, SD: 0.8). Polyester plastinates also demonstrated high clarity, with 62% of face-to-face respondents strongly agreeing on their improved differentiation of gray and white matter (mean score: 4.38, SD: 0.95). Students appreciated the odorless, durable, and nontoxic nature of plastinated specimens. Limitations included reduced tactile resemblance (mean score: 2.19) and natural color fidelity (mean score: 2.74). Despite these drawbacks, 69.4% of face-to-face students strongly supported incorporating plastinated specimens alongside cadaveric materials in anatomy courses. Plastinated cattle brain specimens demonstrated excellent anatomical detail and usability, making them valuable resources for anatomy education. The findings support their use in both face-to-face and online teaching environments as preferred alternatives or complements to traditional formalin-preserved specimens.