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A quantitative analysis of cerebellar anatomy in birds

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Abstract

The cerebellum is largely conserved in its circuitry, but varies greatly in size and shape across species. The extent to which differences in cerebellar morphology is driven by changes in neuron numbers, neuron sizes or both, remains largely unknown. To determine how species variation in cerebellum size and shape is reflective of neuron sizes and numbers requires the development of a suitable comparative data set and one that can effectively separate different neuronal populations. Here, we generated the largest comparative dataset to date on neuron numbers, sizes, and volumes of cortical layers and surface area of the cerebellum across 54 bird species. Across different cerebellar sizes, the cortical layers maintained relatively constant proportions to one another and variation in cerebellum size was largely due to neuron numbers rather than neuron sizes. However, the rate at which neuron numbers increased with cerebellum size varied across Purkinje cells, granule cells, and cerebellar nuclei neurons. We also examined the relationship among neuron numbers, cerebellar surface area and cerebellar folding. Our estimate of cerebellar folding, the midsagittal foliation index, was a poor predictor of surface area and number of Purkinje cells, but surface area was the best predictor of Purkinje cell numbers. Overall, this represents the first comprehensive, quantitative analysis of cerebellar anatomy in a comparative context of any vertebrate. The extent to which these relationships occur in other vertebrates requires a similar approach and would determine whether the same scaling principles apply throughout the evolution of the cerebellum.

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All data generated and analysed in this study are included in the article.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Maurice Needham and Ben Brinkman for assistance with microscopy.

Funding

Funding to support this study was provided by scholarships to FC from the University of Lethbridge, NSERC Discovery grants to DRW and ANI and the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Canada Research Chairs Program to ANI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Dr. W, Science & Academic Building, SA8150, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 6T5, Canada

    Felipe Cunha, Kelsey Racicot & Andrew N. Iwaniuk

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Cristian Gutiérrez-Ibáñez & Douglas R. Wylie

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  1. Felipe Cunha
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  2. Cristian Gutiérrez-Ibáñez
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  3. Kelsey Racicot
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  4. Douglas R. Wylie
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  5. Andrew N. Iwaniuk
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Contributions

All authors had full access to all the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. FC, DW, and ANI: study concept and design. FC, and KR: acquisition of the data. FC, CGI, DR, and ANI: analysis and interpretation of the data. FC, CGI, DR, and ANI: drafting of the manuscript. FC, KR, CGI, DR, and ANI: critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content, administrative, technical, and material support.

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Correspondence to Felipe Cunha.

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429_2021_2352_MOESM1_ESM.jpg

Supplementary file1 (JPG 922 kb) Fig. S1 A comparison of the sizes of Purkinje cells, granule cells, and cerebellar nuclei neurons in two species, a–c the brown thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla), and d–f the little penguin (Eudyptula minor). For each species, Purkinje cells are shown in a and d (scale-bar = 50 μm); granule cells in b and e (scale-bar = 10 μm), and cerebellar nuclei neuron in c and f (scale-bar = 30 μm)

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Cunha, F., Gutiérrez-Ibáñez, C., Racicot, K. et al. A quantitative analysis of cerebellar anatomy in birds. Brain Struct Funct 226, 2561–2583 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-021-02352-2

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