This book is unique among the current literature in that it systematically documents the prenatal structural development of the human brain. It is based on lifelong study using essentially a single staining procedure, the classic rapid Golgi procedure, which ensures an unusual and desirable uniformity in the observations. The book is amply illustrated with 81 large, high-quality color photomicrographs never previously reproduced. These photomicrographs, obtained at 6, 7, 11, 15, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 weeks of gestation, offer a fascinating insight into the sequential prenatal development of neurons, blood vessels, and glia in the human brain.

Dr. Miguel Marín-Padilla is Professor Emeritus of Pathology and of Pediatrics at Dartmouth Medical School (Hanover, New Hampshire, USA). He obtained his Medical Degree in Spain (Granada University, 1955), practice Pediatrics for one year but interested in pediatric research immigrate to USA (1956). In USA, he completed Clinical Internship and several years of Pathology Residencies (Mallory Institute of Pathology, Boston), with emphasis in both Developmental and Pediatric Pathology (1957-1961) and was Teaching Fellow in Pathology in both Boston and Harvard Medical Schools (1960-62). He pursued an Academic Career, from Instructor to full Professor in both Pathology and Pediatrics at Dartmouth Medical School (1962-2000). He did a Special Neurohistology Fellowships at the Cajal Institute (Madrid) to study Cajal old Golgi preparations and learn the method (1966-67) and was Visiting Neuroscientist at University of Alcalá de Henares (Spain, 1994) and at the Mayo Clinic (1999). His research efforts has resulted in 180 publications, including abstracts, peer review papers, collaborative works, chapters in books and books. His developmental studies are recognized the world over and he has received various honors for his teaching and for his research efforts, the most notable are:Alpha Omega Alpha (USA Honor Medical Society, 1981); Best teacher award (1988,1996) and Faculty Speaker at Commencements (1985, 1991) at Dartmouth Medical School; Cajal Medal (USA Cajal Club, 1990); Gold Medal 'Aureliano Maestre de San Juan' of the University of Granada (1997), Honor Member of the Spanish Neurology (1987) and Pediatric Neurology Societies (2000), The Jacod Javist Neuroscience Investigator Award (USA, 1989), Honor Member of the Royal Academy of Medicine (Murcia, 2001), the Gold Medal of the Community of Murcia (2001) and has been a Candidate to the Principe de Asturias in Sciences (2002), 'The Miguel Marín-Padilla Award, Excellence in Pathology'. Annual Lectureship and Award. Dartmouth Medical School (2006). His research has been supported by Grants of the U.S. National Institute of Health from 1962 to 1999.

1;The Human Brain;2 1.1;Dedication;4 1.2;Preface;5 1.3;Contents;9 1.4;1: Introduction;11 1.4.1;References;14 1.5;2: Mammalian Cerebral Cortex: Embryonic Development and Cytoarchitecture;15 1.5.1;References;20 1.6;3: Human Motor Cortex: Development and Cytoarchitecture;21 1.6.1;3.1 Seven-Week-Old Stage;24 1.6.2;3.2 Eleven-Week-Old Stage;26 1.6.3;3.3 Fifteen-Week-Old Stage;28 1.6.4;3.4 Twenty-Week-Old Stage;35 1.6.5;3.5 Thirty-Week-Old Stage;36 1.6.6;3.6 Thirty-Five-Week-Old Stage;37 1.6.7;3.7 Forty-Week-Old (Newborn) Stage;39 1.6.8;References;43 1.7;4: The Mammalian Pyramidal Neuron: Development, Structure, and Function;45 1.7.1;4.1 Developmental Features;45 1.7.2;4.2 Morphological Features;48 1.7.3;4.3 Functional Features;49 1.7.4;4.4 Ascending Functional Maturation;53 1.7.5;4.5 Descending Function;55 1.7.6;References;57 1.8;5: Human Motor Cortex First Lamina: Development and Cytoarchitecture;59 1.8.1;5.1 First Lamina Principal Components;63 1.8.2;5.2 Cajal-Retzius Cell Unique Morphology;65 1.8.3;5.3 First Lamina Secondary Components;72 1.8.4;References;74 1.9;6: Human Motor Cortex Excitatory-Inhibitory Neuronal Systems: Development and Cytoarchitecture;75 1.9.1;6.1 The Pyramidal-Basket System;76 1.9.2;6.2 The Pyramidal-Martinotti System;83 1.9.3;6.3 The Pyramidal-Double-Bouquet System;85 1.9.4;6.4 The Pyramidal-Chandelier System;87 1.9.5;References;92 1.10;7: Human Cerebral Cortex Intrinsic Microvascular System: Development and Cytoarchitecture;94 1.10.1;References;107 1.11;8: Human Motor Cortex First Lamina and Gray Matter Special Astrocytes: Development and Cytoarchitecture;109 1.11.1;8.1 First Lamina Special Astrocytes;112 1.11.2;8.2 Grey Matter Protoplasmic Astrocytes;112 1.11.3;References;118 1.12;9: New Developmental Cytoarchitectonic Theory and Nomenclature;120 1.12.1;References;126 1.13;10: Epilogue;128 1.13.1;References;129 1.14;11: Cat Motor Cortex: Development and Cytoarchitecture;131 1.14.1;11.1 Cat 25-Day-Old Stage;131 1.14.2;11.2 Cat 30-Day-Old Stage;131 1.14.3;11.3 Cat 35-Day-Old Stage;133 1.14.4;11.4 Cat 40-Day-Old Stage;134 1.14.5;11.5 Cat 45-Day-Old Stage;135 1.14.6;11.6 Cat 50-Day-Old Stage;136 1.14.7;11.7 Cat 55-Day-Old Stage;137 1.14.8;11.8 Newborn Cat Motor Cortex;138 1.14.9;References;142 1.15;12: The Rapid Golgi Reaction: A Personal Quest;143 1.15.1;References;148 1.16;Index;149 1.17;About The Author;150