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Meynert

Meynert most commonly refers to Theodor Meynert, an Austrian psychiatrist and neuroanatomist who lived in the 19th century (1833–1892). Meynert is remembered for his pioneering work on the cellular organization of the cerebral cortex and for describing brain structures and their histology. He held influential teaching positions in Vienna and contributed to the development of neuropathology as a formal discipline, shaping contemporary understandings of brain function and disease.

The best-known eponym associated with Meynert is the nucleus basalis of Meynert. This is a group of

In Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, neurons within the nucleus basalis of Meynert experience significant loss,

Today, Meynert’s name persists primarily through the nucleus basalis of Meynert and as a historical reference

large
cholinergic
neurons
located
in
the
basal
forebrain,
near
the
substantia
innominata.
The
nucleus
sends
widespread
projections
to
the
cerebral
cortex
and
hippocampus,
providing
a
major
source
of
cholinergic
input
that
modulates
arousal,
attention,
learning,
and
memory.
Its
proper
functioning
is
linked
to
cognitive
processing
and
cortical
plasticity,
and
it
has
become
a
focal
point
in
aging
and
neurodegenerative
research.
which
is
associated
with
impairments
in
attention
and
memory.
The
decline
of
this
cholinergic
system
has
informed
therapeutic
strategies,
including
the
use
of
cholinesterase
inhibitors
and
other
approaches
aimed
at
preserving
cortical
cholinergic
function.
to
his
contributions
to
cortical
histology
and
neuropathology.