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The neocortex of cetartiodactyls. II. Neuronal morphology of the visual and motor cortices in the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)

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Abstract

The present quantitative study extends our investigation of cetartiodactyls by exploring the neuronal morphology in the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) neocortex. Here, we investigate giraffe primary visual and motor cortices from perfusion-fixed brains of three subadults stained with a modified rapid Golgi technique. Neurons (n = 244) were quantified on a computer-assisted microscopy system. Qualitatively, the giraffe neocortex contained an array of complex spiny neurons that included both “typical” pyramidal neuron morphology and “atypical” spiny neurons in terms of morphology and/or orientation. In general, the neocortex exhibited a vertical columnar organization of apical dendrites. Although there was no significant quantitative difference in dendritic complexity for pyramidal neurons between primary visual (n = 78) and motor cortices (n = 65), there was a significant difference in dendritic spine density (motor cortex > visual cortex). The morphology of aspiny neurons in giraffes appeared to be similar to that of other eutherian mammals. For cross-species comparison of neuron morphology, giraffe pyramidal neurons were compared to those quantified with the same methodology in African elephants and some cetaceans (e.g., bottlenose dolphin, minke whale, humpback whale). Across species, the giraffe (and cetaceans) exhibited less widely bifurcating apical dendrites compared to elephants. Quantitative dendritic measures revealed that the elephant and humpback whale had more extensive dendrites than giraffes, whereas the minke whale and bottlenose dolphin had less extensive dendritic arbors. Spine measures were highest in the giraffe, perhaps due to the high quality, perfusion fixation. The neuronal morphology in giraffe neocortex is thus generally consistent with what is known about other cetartiodactyls.

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Acknowledgments

Partial support for this work was provided by Colorado College’s divisional research funds (B.J.), the James S. McDonnell Foundation (Grant 22002078, to C.C.S., P.R.H.; Grant 220020293 to C.C.S.), National Science Foundation (BCS-0515484, BCS-0824531 to C.C.S.), and the South African National Research Foundation (P.R.M.; FA2005033100004). We would also like to thank the Danish Cardiovascular Research Program, especially Emil Toft-Brøndum, for allowing us to obtain the specimens of giraffe brains.

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  1. Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Psychology, Colorado College, 14 E. Cache La Poudre, Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, USA

    Bob Jacobs, Tessa Harland, Deborah Kennedy & Matthew Schall

  2. Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA

    Bridget Wicinski, Camilla Butti & Patrick R. Hof

  3. Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, 2110 G Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20052, USA

    Chet C. Sherwood

  4. School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa

    Paul R. Manger

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  1. Bob Jacobs
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Correspondence to Bob Jacobs.

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Jacobs, B., Harland, T., Kennedy, D. et al. The neocortex of cetartiodactyls. II. Neuronal morphology of the visual and motor cortices in the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis). Brain Struct Funct 220, 2851–2872 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-014-0830-9

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