Chapter 19: visual images and neurological illustration.

This chapter examines the importance of visual materials for studying the brain in health and in disease. Surveying historical representations, this research confirms that images of the brain's form and function have long served as teaching tools and as historical reference points for neurological events. The research is divided into five sections: the first section, Early History to Printing Technology considers prehistoric and ancient imagery, pre-Renaissance thinking about the brain, and the impact of printing and printmaking on neurological research. The second section, Renaissance Illustration, focuses on Leonardo da Vinci, Andreas Vesalius, and other contributors who produced images of the brain as dissection restrictions eased. The third section, which turns to Early Modern and Modern Illustration, highlights the work of Thomas Willis, Charles Bell, and other scientists (throughout the 19th century) who demonstrated the value of a visual component within brain studies. The fourth section presents examples of Neurologically-Descriptive Illustrations, with the final section considering Historical Illustration and Contemporary Research.