WILDER PENFIELD, PíO DEL RíO-HORTEGA, AND THE DISCOVERY OF OLIGODENDROGLIA

Abstract

Today, Wilder Penfield is much better known for his seminal explorations of the cortical basis of higher function, his contributions to epilepsy surgery, and as the founder of the Montreal Neurological Institute than for his original work with Sherrington in England or Río-Hortega and Cajal in Spain. While working with Río-Hortega, his report on oligodendroglia was critical to advancing the characterization of this important class of glial cells.