ORIGIN OF PERICELLULAR BASKETS OF PYRAMIDAL CELLES OF HUMAN MOTOR CORTEX - A GOLGI STUDY

A Golgi study of the structure, distribution and origin of the pericellular baskets of the pyramidal cells of the human motor cortex is presented. This study has disclosed the presence in the motor cortex of a distinct type of stellate neuron which forms pericellular baskets around the bodies of the pyramidal cells of the lower layer III and layer V. These cortical basket cells are characterized also by their long horizontal and vertical dendrites. They are distributed from layers III-V, but they concentarte more commonly in layer IV of the motor cortex, perhaps representing the neuronal elements of this poorly defined cortical layer. The structure of the pericellular baskets is described in detail. It is suggested that the cortical basket cell here described may represent an inhibitory neuron of the human motor cortex. © 1969.