Translational Neuroanatomy: Recent Updates and Future Perspectives—2nd Edition

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neurosurgery and Neuroanatomy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 February 2026 | Viewed by 2378

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Normal and Clinical Anatomy, Medical University Lodz, 90-419 Lodz, Poland
Interests: neuroanatomy; peripheral nerves; skull base; brain imaging; psychology; personality psychology; psychotraumatology
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Guest Editor
1. Department of Normal and Clinical Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Social Sciences in Lodz, 90-113 Lodz, Poland
2. Norbert Barlicki Memorial Teaching Hospital No. 1, Medical University of Lodz, 90-113 Lodz, Poland
Interests: neurology; neuroanatomy; gross anatomy; clinical anatomy; rehabilitation medi-cine

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Translational research is based on an approach that aims to convert basic research results into practical applications. In biomedical sciences, this perspective is also referred to as bench to bedside. An essential aspect of translational research is that the outcomes generate scientific and operational innovations and, as a result, benefit clinical practice. This Special Issue aims to refer to the traditional research paradigm in reference to neuroanatomy as a broadly understood part of neuroscience. Thus, the Special Issue "Translational Neuroanatomy: Recent Updates and Future Perspectives—2nd Edition" has been designed and aims to enable researchers and authors to present a wide range of reports that concern the following topics:

  • New neuroanatomical concepts, especially neuroanatomical studies based on new methods or new approaches;
  • Original research that may potentially change the direction of thinking about a specific issue or topic related to central or peripheral nervous system structure and function;
  • Basic and clinical research extending existing knowledge of the nervous system in the context of clinical practice;
  • Neuroanatomical techniques used to study neuroanatomy.

High-quality original research papers, reviews, and meta-analyses on topics related to the structure and functioning of the brain and nervous system are also welcome.

Dr. Grzegorz Wysiadecki
Dr. Andrzej Żytkowski
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • neuroanatomy
  • clinical neuroscience
  • central or peripheral nervous system

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1860 KB  
Article
Three-Dimensional, Image-Based Evaluation of the L5 Vertebral Body and Its Ossification Center in Human Fetuses
by Magdalena Grzonkowska, Michał Kułakowski, Karol Elster, Zofia Dzięcioł-Anikiej, Beata Zwierko, Sara Kierońska-Siwak, Magdalena Konieczna-Brazis, Michał Banasiak, Stanisław Orkisz and Mariusz Baumgart
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(11), 1229; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15111229 - 15 Nov 2025
Viewed by 740
Abstract
Objectives: The aim of this study was to characterize the developmental trajectories of the fifth lumbar vertebra in human fetuses by assessing the growth of its vertebral body and ossification center using linear, planar, and volumetric measurements. Methods: A total of 54 [...] Read more.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to characterize the developmental trajectories of the fifth lumbar vertebra in human fetuses by assessing the growth of its vertebral body and ossification center using linear, planar, and volumetric measurements. Methods: A total of 54 human fetuses (26 male and 28 female) aged 17–30 weeks of gestation were examined. Computed tomography, digital image analysis, 3D reconstruction, and statistical modeling were used to quantify morphometric parameters of the L5 vertebral body and its ossification center. Results: All measured parameters demonstrated consistent age-related growth following a linear pattern. No statistically significant differences between sexes were observed in any measured diameter of the L5 vertebra or its ossification center within the examined gestational age range. Conclusions: The normative morphometric data and growth curves obtained for the L5 vertebra and its ossification center provide age-specific reference values that may aid in prenatal diagnostics. These findings can support clinicians in estimating gestational age, assessing vertebral development on ultrasound, and detecting congenital spinal anomalies and skeletal dysplasias at an early stage. Further multicenter studies including a broader gestational age range are warranted to strengthen the generalizability and clinical applicability of these results. Full article
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14 pages, 3288 KB  
Article
CT Morphometric Analysis of Ossification Centres in the Fetal Th12 Vertebra
by Magdalena Grzonkowska, Michał Kułakowski, Zofia Dzięcioł-Anikiej, Agnieszka Rogalska, Beata Zwierko, Sara Kierońska-Siwak, Karol Elster, Stanisław Orkisz and Mariusz Baumgart
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(11), 1138; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15111138 - 24 Oct 2025
Viewed by 538
Abstract
Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the growth dynamics of the ossification centers of the twelfth thoracic vertebra in the human fetus, focusing on detailed linear, surface, and volumetric parameters of both the vertebral body and neural processes. Methods: The investigation was [...] Read more.
Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the growth dynamics of the ossification centers of the twelfth thoracic vertebra in the human fetus, focusing on detailed linear, surface, and volumetric parameters of both the vertebral body and neural processes. Methods: The investigation was based on 55 human fetuses (27 males, 28 females) aged 17–30 weeks of gestation. High-resolution low-dose computed tomography, three-dimensional reconstruction, digital image analysis and appropriate statistical modeling were used to obtain detailed morphometric measurements. Results: All measured morphometric parameters of the Th12 vertebral body ossification center—transverse and sagittal diameters, cross-sectional area, and volume—increased linearly with gestational age (R2 = 0.94–0.97). A similar linear growth pattern was demonstrated for the length, width, cross-sectional area, and volume of the right and left neural process ossification centers (R2 = 0.97–0.98). No statistically significant sex-related or side-related differences were found, allowing the establishment of single normative growth curves for each parameter. Conclusions: This study provides the first comprehensive CT-based normative data for the ossification centers of the fetal Th12 vertebra in the second and early third trimesters. The presented linear growth models and reference values may assist anatomists, radiologists, obstetricians, and pediatric spine surgeons in estimating fetal age, and in the prenatal and postnatal assessment of congenital spinal anomalies, especially at the thoracolumbar junction. Further research on larger and broader gestational cohorts is warranted to validate and extend these findings. Full article
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12 pages, 3251 KB  
Article
CT-Based Quantitative Analysis of Ossification Centres in the C7 Vertebra of Human Fetuses
by Magdalena Grzonkowska, Michał Kułakowski, Karol Elster, Bartłomiej Hankiewicz, Michał Janiak, Agnieszka Rogalska, Milena Świtońska, Andrzej Żytkowski and Mariusz Baumgart
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(9), 1018; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15091018 - 20 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 787
Abstract
Objectives: The present study aimed to analyze the growth dynamics of the ossification centers of the seventh cervical (C7) vertebra in the human fetus, focusing on linear, planar, and volumetric parameters of both the vertebral body and neural processes. Methods: The [...] Read more.
Objectives: The present study aimed to analyze the growth dynamics of the ossification centers of the seventh cervical (C7) vertebra in the human fetus, focusing on linear, planar, and volumetric parameters of both the vertebral body and neural processes. Methods: The study was conducted on 55 human fetuses of both sexes (27 males and 28 females), aged 17–30 weeks’ gestation. High-resolution computed tomography, three-dimensional reconstruction, digital image analysis, and appropriate statistical modeling were used to obtain detailed morphometric measurements of the C7 ossification centers. Results: All morphometric parameters—length, cross-sectional area, and volume—of the vertebral body ossification center increased linearly with gestational age, except for the sagittal diameter, which followed a logarithmic growth pattern. Linear growth was likewise observed in all diameters of the neural process ossification centers, including length, width, cross-sectional area, and volume. No statistically significant sex-related or side-related differences were detected. Conclusions: The CT-based morphometric data and growth models for the ossification centers of C7 presented in this study offer preliminary reference values for the vertebra prominens during fetal development. Although limited by sample size, these results establish a baseline that may assist anatomists, radiologists, obstetricians, pediatricians, and spinal surgeons in assessing cervical-spine maturation and in detecting congenital anomalies prenatally. Further studies involving larger and more diverse fetal cohorts are warranted to validate and extend these observations. Full article
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