Malpighi's Early Views on Brain Anatomy: a Look at his Unpublished Drawings and Notes

The publication of Malpighi's dissertation on the anatomy of the brain, De cerebro, in 1665, comes at a time of increased attention to brain studies. The structure of the optic nerve was one of the challenging questions Malpighi dealt with, and the numerous dissections of fish he had performed in Messina in 1663-1664 provided him with solid evidence for his innovative explanation of the anatomy and function of the brain and nerves. Malpighi's correspondence with Borelli and the examination of his unpublished notes kept at the Bologna University Library show the development of Malpighi's view on the anatomy of the brain, in particular the role that Borelli played in guiding and interpreting his anatomical observations.