title: Decussation as an axial twist: A comment on Kinsbourne (2013).
abstract: One of the great mysteries of the brain, which has puzzled all-time students of brain form and function, is the contralateral organization of the forebrain and the crossings of its major afferent and efferent connections. As a novel explanation, two recent studies have proposed that the rostral part of the head, including the forebrain, is rotated by 180° with respect to the rest of the body (de Lussanet and Osse, 2012; Kinsbourne, 2013). Kinsbourne proposes one 180° turn while we consider the 180° being the result of two 90° turns in opposite directions. We discuss the similarities and differences between the two hypotheses.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Sport Science, Westf. Wilhelms-Universität Münster.
authors.forename: Marc H E
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: de Lussanet
authors.forename: Jan W M
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Osse
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009420:Nervous System / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D009897:Optic Chiasm / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000033:anatomy & histology*