The History of Neuroscience 1: Ancient Neuroscience

Exploring the development of theories about the functions and structures of our nervous system yields insights into the mysteries of the brain, neurology, and neuropsychology. This article briefly summarizes the ancient history of neuroscience. Trepanation, performed since the Neolithic period, may have been intended to create an escape route for demons inflicting problems on humans , or as a surgical procedure to drain excess intracranial fluid in patients affected by trauma and epilepsy. The Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus , found in Egypt, is believed to be related to Imhotep, the most preemi-nent healer in Egypt. It presents 48 cases of head injuries and describes the symptoms and signs of the patients in relation with the foci of brain injuries. Hippocrates, known as the “father of medicine,” represented the golden age of Greece, which witnessed an outpouring of many new thoughts and ideas. As focus shifted from God to humans, many philosophical approaches incorporated medicine. Hip-pocrates emphasized that diseases develop by natural causes, not God’s will. The Hippocratic Corpus encompasses 70 medical texts presumed to originate with Hippocrates and his followers. It also presents 42 real clinical cases. Systematic human dissections were started by Herophilus, the “father of anatomy,” who dissected hundreds of cadavers and live criminals. Herophilus, working with Erasistra-tus, also described the cerebrum, cerebellum, and ventricles of the brain. They distinguished between motor and sensory nerves. However, many still believed that human intelligence lay in the heart, and the controversy about the location of the human mind continued for many centuries.