Neuroscience & Synaptic Architecture: Cajal Neuron Doctrine to fMRI
Encyclopedia/1. The Cosmos & The Natural World/6. Medicine & Human Biology/04. Neuroscience & Cognitive Medicine • Curated by Admin Timeline.sg
This timeline traces the evolution of neuroscience from Ramón y Cajal's neuron doctrine to modern fMRI brain mapping, highlighting key discoveries in synaptic architecture, electrophysiology, and neuroimaging.
Chronological Storyline (46 Milestones)
1888 CE
Cajal's Neuron Doctrine
Santiago Ramón y Cajal uses Golgi silver stain to demonstrate that neurons are discrete cells, establishing the neuron doctrine. #neuroscience #history
Cajal's Neuron Doctrine By Santiago Ramón - http://www.sharpbrains.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/cajal-chick-cerebellum.jpg, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=555397
1891 CE
Term 'Neuron' Coined
Heinrich Wilhelm Gottfried von Waldeyer-Hartz coins the term 'neuron' to describe the nerve cell. #neuroscience #terminology
Term 'Neuron' Coined By BruceBlaus - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28761830
1897 CE
Synapse Named
Charles Sherrington introduces the term 'synapse' to describe the junction between neurons. #neuroscience #history
Synapse Named By Curtis Neveu - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=117410942
1906 CE
Cajal and Golgi Share Nobel
Santiago Ramón y Cajal and Camillo Golgi receive the Nobel Prize for their work on the structure of the nervous system. #neuroscience #nobel
Cajal and Golgi Share Nobel By Original photo is anonymous although published by Clark University in 1899. Restoration by Garrondo - Cajal.PNG, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12334552
1924 CE
First Human EEG
Hans Berger records the first human electroencephalogram (EEG), revealing brain electrical activity. #neuroscience #EEG
First Human EEG By Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=845554
1932 CE
Sherrington and Adrian Nobel
Charles Sherrington and Edgar Adrian win the Nobel Prize for discoveries regarding the function of neurons. #neuroscience #nobel
Sherrington and Adrian Nobel By Unknown author - https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/image/L0014994.html, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33623905
1937 CE
First Electron Microscope of Synapse
First electron micrograph of a synapse reveals the synaptic cleft and vesicles. #neuroscience #microscopy
1939 CE
Hodgkin and Huxley Begin Squid Axon Work
Alan Hodgkin and Andrew Huxley start experiments on squid giant axon, leading to the action potential model. #neuroscience #electrophysiology
Hodgkin and Huxley Begin Squid Axon Work By Krishnavedala - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21725464
1952 CE
Hodgkin-Huxley Model Published
Hodgkin and Huxley publish the mathematical model of the action potential in the squid giant axon. #neuroscience #modeling
1953 CE
Acetylcholine Identified as Neurotransmitter
Henry Dale and Otto Loewi's work confirms acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter, earning them the Nobel Prize. #neuroscience #neurotransmitter
Acetylcholine Identified as Neurotransmitter By AlyInWikiWonderland - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=194010472
1955 CE
Synaptic Vesicles Discovered
Eduardo De Robertis and George Palade observe synaptic vesicles under electron microscope. #neuroscience #synapse
Synaptic Vesicles Discovered By vectorization: Mouagip (talk) Synapse_diag1.png: Drawn by fr:Utilisateur:Dake Corrections of original PNG by en:User:Nrets This W3C-unspecified vector image was created with Adobe Illustrator. - Synapse_diag1.png, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11438067
1957 CE
Patch Clamp Technique Invented
Erwin Neher and Bert Sakmann develop the patch clamp technique to measure ion currents through single channels. #neuroscience #technique
Patch Clamp Technique Invented By Vlad75 at English Wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5072761
1963 CE
Hodgkin and Huxley Win Nobel
Alan Hodgkin, Andrew Huxley, and John Eccles receive the Nobel Prize for their discoveries concerning the ionic mechanisms of nerve cell membrane. #neuroscience #nobel
1967 CE
Long-Term Potentiation Discovered
Terje Lømo discovers long-term potentiation (LTP) in the rabbit hippocampus, a cellular mechanism for learning and memory. #neuroscience #plasticity
Long-Term Potentiation Discovered By Synaptidude at English Wikipedia - This image created by Synaptidude 23:45, 15 August 2005 (UTC) , assembled in CorelDraw!, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=886855
1970 CE
Katz, von Euler, Axelrod Nobel
Bernard Katz, Ulf von Euler, and Julius Axelrod win the Nobel Prize for discoveries about neurotransmitters and their storage and release. #neuroscience #nobel
Katz, von Euler, Axelrod Nobel By After Nick Sinclair - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38809978
PET Scan Developed By Spacecoastcreative - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=149063982
1975 CE
Endorphins Discovered
John Hughes and Hans Kosterlitz discover endorphins, endogenous opioid peptides. #neuroscience #neurochemistry
1976 CE
Neher and Sakmann Patch Clamp
Erwin Neher and Bert Sakmann publish the first patch clamp recordings of single ion channels. #neuroscience #technique
1981 CE
Split-Brain Nobel
Roger Sperry wins the Nobel Prize for split-brain research, revealing hemispheric specialization. #neuroscience #nobel
Split-Brain Nobel By Unknown author - http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101441472, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70998661
1986 CE
NMDA Receptor Cloned
The NMDA receptor, crucial for synaptic plasticity, is cloned. #neuroscience #receptor
NMDA Receptor Cloned By RicHard-59 - Own work, based on File:Activated NMDAR.PNG, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21286587
1990 CE
fMRI Developed by Ogawa
Seiji Ogawa discovers blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) contrast, leading to functional MRI. #neuroscience #imaging
fMRI Developed by Ogawa By OpenStax - https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology/pages/12-1-basic-structure-and-function-of-the-nervous-system, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30147912
1991 CE
First fMRI of Human Brain
First functional MRI images of the human brain are published, mapping visual cortex activity. #neuroscience #imaging
1992 CE
Neher and Sakmann Nobel
Erwin Neher and Bert Sakmann receive the Nobel Prize for patch clamp technique. #neuroscience #nobel
1994 CE
Glutamate Receptors Cloned
AMPA and kainate glutamate receptor subtypes are cloned, advancing understanding of excitatory transmission. #neuroscience #receptor
Glutamate Receptors Cloned By Curtis Neveu - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16583388
1997 CE
Optogenetics Pioneered
Francisco Crick suggests using light to control neurons; later, channelrhodopsin is used for optogenetics. #neuroscience #optogenetics
1998 CE
Adult Neurogenesis Confirmed
Evidence confirms that new neurons are generated in adult human hippocampus. #neuroscience #plasticity
Adult Neurogenesis Confirmed By Phenotypes_of_proliferating_cells_in_the_Rostral_Migratory_Stream_and_Dentate_Gyrus.jpg: Maryam Faiz , Laia Acarin , Bernardo Castellano and Berta Gonzalez derivative work: CopperKettle (talk) - Phenotypes_of_proliferating_cells_in_the_Rostral_Migratory_Stream_and_Dentate_Gyrus.jpg, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7553302
2000 CE
Carlsson, Greengard, Kandel Nobel
Arvid Carlsson, Paul Greengard, and Eric Kandel win the Nobel Prize for discoveries concerning signal transduction in the nervous system. #neuroscience #nobel
Carlsson, Greengard, Kandel Nobel By Bengt Oberger - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37241660
2002 CE
Human Genome Project Completed
Completion of the Human Genome Project provides a blueprint for understanding genetic basis of neurological disorders. #neuroscience #genetics
Human Genome Project Completed By U.S. Department of Energy, Human Genome Project - http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2485616
2003 CE
Diffusion Tensor Imaging Developed
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) maps white matter tracts in the brain. #neuroscience #imaging
Diffusion Tensor Imaging Developed By Unknown author, Copyrighted free use, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1163611
2005 CE
First Optogenetic Control of Neurons
Karl Deisseroth and colleagues demonstrate light-controlled activation of neurons using channelrhodopsin. #neuroscience #optogenetics
2006 CE
Human Connectome Project Launched
The Human Connectome Project aims to map neural connections in the human brain. #neuroscience #connectome
2008 CE
iPS Cells for Neurological Disease
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are used to model neurological diseases like ALS. #neuroscience #stemcells
iPS Cells for Neurological Disease By NIH Image Gallery from Bethesda, Maryland, USA - Human induced pluripotent stem cell colony, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=114900547
2009 CE
Brainbow Technique
Brainbow technique labels individual neurons with distinct colors, enabling visualization of neural circuits. #neuroscience #imaging
Brainbow Technique By Jeff W. Lichtman and Joshua R. Sanes - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2577038/, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25703326
2010 CE
Human Brain Project Proposed
The Human Brain Project is proposed in Europe to simulate the human brain. #neuroscience #computational
Human Brain Project Proposed By Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1496706
2011 CE
CLARITY Tissue Clearing
CLARITY technique renders brain tissue transparent for 3D imaging. #neuroscience #imaging
2013 CE
BRAIN Initiative Announced
US BRAIN Initiative launched to develop new neurotechnologies for mapping brain activity. #neuroscience #policy
2014 CE
Optogenetics Nobel?
Optogenetics gains widespread use; Deisseroth and others receive major awards but not yet Nobel. #neuroscience #optogenetics
2015 CE
First Human Brain Organoids
Cerebral organoids (mini-brains) are developed from stem cells to study development and disease. #neuroscience #organoid
First Human Brain Organoids By Shakhova, O., and Sommer, L., Neural crest-derived stem cells (May 4, 2010), StemBook, ed. The Stem Cell Research Community, StemBook, doi/10.3824/stembook.1.51.1, http://www.stembook.org. - [1] Direct StemBook Figure 1 Instructive growth factors regulating fate decisions in embryonic NCSCs. Shakhova, O., and Sommer, L., Neural crest-derived stem cells (May 4, 2010), StemBook, ed. The Stem Cell Research Community, StemBook, doi/10.3824/stembook.1.51.1, http://www.stembook.org., CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25463034
2016 CE
Connectome of Fruit Fly Brain
First complete connectome of an adult fruit fly brain is published. #neuroscience #connectome
Connectome of Fruit Fly Brain By Xavier Gigandet et. al. - Gigandet X, Hagmann P, Kurant M, Cammoun L, Meuli R, et al. (2008) Estimating the Confidence Level of White Matter Connections Obtained with MRI Tractography. PLoS ONE 3(12): e4006. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004006, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8134159
2017 CE
Human Cell Atlas Includes Brain
The Human Cell Atlas project includes brain cell types, advancing single-cell neuroscience. #neuroscience #genomics
2018 CE
Alzheimer's Drug Trial Failures
Multiple late-stage Alzheimer's drug trials fail, highlighting challenges in neurodegenerative disease. #neuroscience #disease
Alzheimer's Drug Trial Failures By Garrondo - Own work, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4387759
2019 CE
First Human Neuralink Implant
Elon Musk's Neuralink announces first human implant of brain-machine interface. #neuroscience #BCI
First Human Neuralink Implant By Neuralink Corp; converted to SVG by Saucy - https://www.neuralink.com/, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=80364982
2020 CE
COVID-19 and Neurological Effects
Studies reveal neurological symptoms of COVID-19, including anosmia and brain fog. #neuroscience #COVID19
COVID-19 and Neurological Effects By Colin D. Funk, Craig Laferrière, and Ali Ardakani. Graphic by Ian Dennis - https://www.iandennisgraphics.com - Funk CD, Laferrière C y Ardakani A (2020) Una instantánea de la carrera mundial de vacunas dirigidas contra el SARS-CoV-2 y la pandemia COVID-19. Parte delantera. Pharmacol. 11:937.Funk CD, Laferrière C and Ardakani A (2020) A Snapshot of the Global Race for Vaccines Targeting SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front. Pharmacol. 11:937. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.00937, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=99473789
2021 CE
Mouse Brain Connectome Mapped
A comprehensive connectome of the mouse brain is published, detailing millions of connections. #neuroscience #connectome
Mouse Brain Connectome Mapped By Unknown author, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=555380
2022 CE
First Whole Human Brain Map at Cellular Level
A draft of the human brain cell atlas is released, cataloging cell types across brain regions. #neuroscience #atlas
First Whole Human Brain Map at Cellular Level By BruceBlaus - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46621398
2023 CE
AI Decodes Brain Activity
Machine learning models decode visual and language representations from fMRI data. #neuroscience #AI
AI Decodes Brain Activity By Mike Cai Chen - My friend is a photographer and took some pictures of myself and gave me the picture to use for whatever I want. https://www.mikekaichen.com/, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=168405025
