Spindle Neuron - Function of Spindle Neurons

Function of Spindle Neurons

Spindle neurons are relatively enormous cells that may allow rapid communication across the relatively large brains of great apes, Elephantidaes, and Cetacea. Spindle neurons have been implicated by scientists as having an important role in many cognitive abilities and disabilities generally unique to humans, ranging from savant perceptiveness and perfect pitch to dyslexia and autism. While rare in comparison to other neurons, spindle neurons are abundant, and large, in humans. However, the concentration of spindle cells has been measured to be three times higher in Cetaceans in comparison to humans. They have only been found thus far in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), fronto-insular cortex (FI), and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.