Horton's disease in Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564): the origin of his neurological debilitations in old age.

BACKGROUND: Based on portraits of the time, this description provides novel evidence that the celebrated Renaissance artist and genius of human anatomy, Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), suffered from a vascular disorder known as giant cell arteritis or Horton's disease. METHODS: Two portraits and a bronze sculpture produced between 1535 and the second half of the sixteenth century, in which Michelangelo was represented at over 60 years of age, reveal dilation of his superficial temporal artery consistent with that found in patients with Horton's disease or even with chronic arteriosclerosis. In addition, specialized authors indicate Michelangelo showed some of the neurological symptoms of this disease (blindness in old age, depression, and fever). RESULTS: These findings, at least in part, may explain the origin of the neurological debilitations Michelangelo faced in old age and that may even have contributed to his death. CONCLUSION: This description can serve as an important tool for analyzing his state of health during this period of his life.

The Virgin and Child with the Infant St. John the Baptist by Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510): does the child have Pompe disease?

PURPOSE: Current literature describes that art can be used to teach observation skills in medical students. In this way, many medical schools have developed formal observational training on works of art to improve their students' visual diagnostic skills. In this context, this description presents unprecedented evidence that Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) may have represented a rare neuromuscular disorder, known as Pompe disease (accumulation of lysosomal glycogen primarily in the heart, skeletal muscles, and the nervous system) in one of the characters that make up Virgin and Child with the Infant St. John the Baptist (1490-1500). METHODS: Observational study. RESULTS: The painting reveals that the Infant Jesus has facial features consistent with some of the main clinical manifestations of Pompe disease (poor head control, facial weakness with open mouth posture, tongue protrusion, and eyelid ptosis). CONCLUSION: These results may indicate that Botticelli in 1500 may have made the first pictorial representation of Pompe's disease that was only described in the medical literature in 1932. Furthermore, this description demonstrates the importance of the medico-artistic field for the study of any disease during the Renaissance period, which will be essential for the learning process of visual diagnostic.

Morphometric Evaluation of the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve of Wistar Rats Exposed to Pesticides.

The literature has been shown that exposition by inhalation to chemical compounds can cause vocal disorders and dysphagia in humans, in addition to other symptoms that are manifested according to the type, concentration and duration of exposure to the substance. Cypermethrin and dichlorvos are pesticides widely used in agriculture, public health, veterinary, and home environments. Despite the scientific evidence that cypermethrin and dichlorvos can cause neurodegenerative damage and motor alterations, there are no studies evaluating the toxic effects of these pesticides on the morphology of structures responsible for vocal mobility, especially to the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve (RLN). Considering the association between vocal disorders in humans and variations in RLN and morphometry, the aim of this study was to evaluate the possible alterations in the microstructure of RLN secondary to subchronic exposure to cypermethrin (pyrethroid) and dichlorvos (organophosphate) in Wistar rats. The experimental protocol (approved by CEUA-UFCSPA: 321/15 and 323/15) consisted of 15 male Wistar rats, allocated in 3 groups: Control (n = 5, exposed to water), Cypermethrin (n = 5, exposed to cypermethrin - 1/10 of the inhalation median lethal concentration [LC50] - 0.25 mg/L) and dichlorvos (n = 5, exposed to dichlorvos - 1/10 of the LC50 - 1.5 mg/L). Inhalation exposure was performed for 4 hours, 5 times per week, for 6 weeks. The nerves were collected, histologically processed and analyzed using morphometric parameters measured using ZEN 2.6 (Zeiss - Germany). The cypermethrin and dichlorvos groups showed significant changes (P < 0.001, ANOVA) in the g-ratio and in the thickness of the myelin sheath of the RLN when compared to the control animals, however, none of the other parameters evaluated showed statistically significant differences. These findings indicate that repeated inhalation exposure to commercial products of cypermethrin and dichlorvos is able to modify the structure of the RLN and possibly generating vocal changes and / or dysphagia.

The Holmes-Adie Syndrome in the Mona Lisa of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519).

The literature describes that the renowned artwork of the genius of human anatomy, Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), known as Mona Lisa (1503-1506), is among one of the most enigmatic artworks in the History of Art. In this context, many details inserted on the composition of this artwork, including those related to Mona Lisa physical aspects' (anatomy) are controversial. The few known descriptions that provide some thorough indications about the woman who served as the model for this work, were written by Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574) in 1550. According to Vasari, the Mona Lisa is a portrait of Lisa del Giocondo (1479-1542) and although he has given a detailed description concerning Lisa's physical characteristics, some are not fully understood so far. In this context, the unequal size of her pupils stands out, a clinical condition known as anisocoria. On this detail, this Letter presents unprecedented pieces of evidence that the anisocoria represented in Mona Lisa may be an indicator that Lisa del Giocondo had a neurological disorder known as Holmes-Adie Syndrome, which could have been caused by an endocrine disruption of the thyroid hormones. Thus, the pieces of information presented on this Letter are essential for further studies once, through them, it is possible to know more about the physical characteristics and also about the probable health condition of the renowned character of one of the most famous artworks of history.

A conjunctival papilloma in Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (1483-1520)?

The specialized literature has described that Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (1483-1520), universally known as Raphael, is among the greatest artists of the Renaissance. Additionally, it is also described that there are still many controversies regarding Raphael's health when he died in 1520. In this context, due to the 500th anniversary of his death, it would be timely to bring up some pieces of information that haven't been presented in the literature so far, regarding the health of this famous artist Therefore, we have decided to present in this description a self-portrait of Raphael from 1519, which, associated with previous descriptions concerning the artist's lifestyle, can provide some indication that Raphael had a clinical condition known as conjunctival papilloma.

The faces hidden in the anatomy of Michelangelo Buonarroti's Pietà in the Vatican.

The study of human anatomy, besides being fundamental to the practice of medicine, has traditionally always been present in the daily life of many Renaissance artists. In this context, the specialized literature has described the famous Renaissance artist Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) as being among the greatest artist-anatomists of his time. Thus, many researchers have tried to better understand the inspirations of this famous artist, and even the possible diseases that affected this genius of human anatomy. Therefore, for the first time, this manuscript provides evidence that Michelangelo Buonarroti may have concealed letters, numbers, and faces in the anatomy of the Vatican's Pietà [Virgin Mary/Jesus Christ] in 1498-9. The revelation of these findings, besides testifying to the artist's considerable skill in representing the corporeal forms in his sculptures, will also be provide useful insights into the iconographic understanding of a work of art that is undoubtedly one of the most important of the Renaissance. Moreover, the present study shall be important for professionals in the medico-artistic field and those who keep some interest in the history of human anatomy, which is undoubtedly a fundamental discipline for the practice of medicine.

Deaf sign language hidden in the fresco The Crucifixion of Saint Peter by Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564).

Since antiquity, specialists have worked to facilitate the communication of hearing impaired individuals, which according to the current literature, is among the disabilities that have the greatest impact on the quality of life. The system by which deaf people communicate is based essentially on sign language and the manual alphabet, employing gestures, and facial and body expressions. Although there is no exact data on how many people communicated through sign language in ancient times, studies show manual alphabets were used by deaf people in Europe in the early 15th century. Perhaps this was a reflection of a significant number of deaf people living throughout Europe at that time and who needed sign language to communicate. In this context, this manuscript, for the first time, demonstrates the renowned Italian Renaissance artist and genius of human anatomy Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) may have used deaf sign language in the fresco The Crucifixion of Saint Peter [Cappella Paolina, Vatican City, Italy]. This would demonstrate the engagement of one of the greatest Renaissance artists, with a clinical condition that has been studied by numerous health specialists since ancient times.

A late self-portrait of Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) in the cartoon of the Epifania in the British Museum.

The scientific literature has shown that the renowned Italian Renaissance artist and genius of human anatomy Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) included his self-portrait into some of his most famous works. It has been suggested that the various self-portraits and self-caricatures the artist used in his works over the years may offer some insight into Michelangelo's physical form and, consequently, provide evidence of his health at different stages of his life. Accordingly, this manuscript presents new evidence [based on facial features described by Daniele of Volterra (1509-1566) and Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574)] that Michelangelo may have inserted his self-portrait into one of the figures that make up the Epifania cartoon, made by the artist in 1553, which is currently in the collection of the British Museum in London, England. Thus, the information contained in this manuscript is not only useful for future analyses of Michelangelo's health [based on facial features] when he was approximately 78 years old, but also how the artist, who was known for being very introspective, saw himself physically in his old age.

Bony Tunnel Formation Associated with the Distal Segment of the Frontal Branch of the Middle Meningeal Artery.

The knowledge of certain anatomical variations is fundamental and any surgeon who operates without that knowledge may encounter difficulty during surgery. In this context, there is the middle meningeal artery (MMA) which also engenders considerable clinical interest due to its location. The MMA is predominantly periosteal, irrigating the bone and dura mater. It enters the floor of the middle cranial fossa through the foramen spinosum, travels laterally through a middle fossa bony ridge, and curves anteriorly over the upper-greater wing of the sphenoid where it divides into parietal and frontal branches at a variable point. Occasionally, the distal segment of the frontal branch may pass through a bony tunnel of variable size. To the best of our knowledge, there is no evidence in the current literature on the incidence of this rare bony tunnel. Therefore, we decided to investigate the incidence of this bony tunnel in 85 dry skulls of adults (both genders) belonging to the didactic collection of the Human Anatomy Laboratory of the Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil. All the skulls were examined bilaterally for the presence or absence of the bony tunnel associated with the distal segment of the frontal branch of the MMA. Of the 85 skulls analyzed, the bony tunnel was present on the right side in 1.18% and on the left side in 5.88% ( p = 0 .045 ). Thus, in the studied sample, there was a significant tendency for this bony tunnel to be formed on the left side.

A hidden rib found in Michelangelo Buonarroti's fresco The Creation of Adam.

The fresco The Creation of Adam (1511), painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by the great genius of human anatomy Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), represents one of the most emblematic and best-known scenes in the world. This fresco illustrates a key passage from the Book of Genesis: the moment when God creates the first man, Adam. Since its completion, this work has been intensively studied by many scholars of art, and by several anatomists, who have pointed out signs of anatomical representations contained in the scene. However, there is still some uncertainty regarding this famous scene, especially in relation to its complete iconography. In an attempt to understand Michelangelo's purpose better regarding this emblematic scene, this article presents unpublished evidence that the artist could have concealed within the figure of Adam the anatomical image of a rib which, according to traditional Biblical accounts, is iconographically associated with the origin of Eve, Adam's companion. Curiously, this hidden rib in Adam's body figure could be related to the traditional view of the origin of the first humans expounded in the Jewish Kabbalah. Clin. Anat. 32:648-653, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Self-Portrait of Michelangelo Buonarroti Hidden in a Drawing from the Ashmolean Museum.

The discovery was recently announced in the scientific literature of a self-caricature of the great Renaissance artist and genius of human anatomy, Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), concealed in a drawing from 1525. This drawing is held in the collection of the British Museum in London, England. In it, the artist portrayed the Marchesa di Pescara, Vittoria Colonna (1490-1547). The present article considers evidence that Michelangelo may have depicted himself in another portrait of Vittoria Colonna, dated to approximately 1522, which is currently in the collection of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England. This concealed silhouetted figure displays physical features strikingly similar to those depicted in portraits of Michelangelo by his contemporaries, and in the description of the artist by Michelangelo's biographer, Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574): the large body, the shape of the face, the beard and the flattened nose. In this context, the present article could serve to facilitate analyses of the physical form and even of the state of health (from 1522) of one of the foremost anatomists of the Renaissance. Clin. Anat., 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Michelangelo buonarroti's code in the frescoes of the sistine chapel - an allusion to gematria of the hebrew/greek alphabet and the Golden Ratio.

According to Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574), the great genius of anatomy, Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), in painting the frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (1508-1512), demonstrated to the world a new dimension/perspective of painting, especially in the sublime manner with which the artist represented the anatomical details of the characters that made up his frescoes. Since then, the Sistine Chapel has received millions of tourists annually, who marvel at the anatomical beauty of the characters depicted on its ceiling. It has also received many scholars of art and even anatomists, who have often tried to infer theses and explanations regarding Michelangelo's real intentions in elaborating this great work. However, even after five centuries, the Vatican's own official explanations of the true intentions of the artist remain quite uncertain. In an attempt to elucidate Michelangelo's possible intentions in the design of this memorable work, this article presents unpublished evidence that all the frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel were organized by the artist according to a code based on the number of characters in each fresco, the gematria of the Hebrew/Greek alphabet, and the Golden Ratio. This decoding process could reveal a key factor influencing the artist's intentions in ordering the elements in this work. Clin. Anat. 31:948-955, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A self-caricature of michelangelo buonarroti hidden in the portrait of vittoria colonna.

The specialized literature has described how the great anatomist par excellence, Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), like many other renowned artists of his time, included a self-portrait in many of his works. This article presents novel evidence that Michelangelo inserted his self-portrait into a sketch of his close friend, Vittoria Colonna (1490-1547). This work, made by Michelangelo in 1525, is currently in the collection of the British Museum in London, England. This self-portrait of Michelangelo can serve as a tool for analyzing the artist's probable bodily dimensions and even his state of health during this period of his life. Clin. Anat. 31:335-338, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pagan symbols associated with the female anatomy in the Medici Chapel by Michelangelo Buonarroti.

Numerous studies have shown that many works of art from the Renaissance period contain hidden symbols and codes that could have religious, mathematical and/or pagan significance and even anatomical allusions. In this context, the present manuscript offers new evidence that the great genius of anatomy, Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), included pagan symbols associated with female anatomy in the funerary monuments found in the Sagrestia Nuova/Medici Chapel (1519-1533) in Florence, Italy. The interpretation of the symbols provided in this study will interest those with a passion for the history of anatomy. Clin. Anat. 30:572-577, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Using body donor demographics to assist the implementation of donation programs in Brazil.

The use of human material in anatomy education depends upon the generosity of body donors. However, little is known regarding the demographics of body donors in Brazil, where voluntary body donation is a relatively rare phenomenon. Hence, the aim of the present study was to elucidate the demographic profile of applicants to the Body Donation Program (BDP) at the Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre in Brazil, as well as to assess whether the observed characteristics of body donors are unique to that sample, or if they merely reflect the characteristics of the regional population. Information derived from the specific forms filled out by donors between January 2008 and June 2016 at the time of registration were collected. Data from 416 forms were analyzed. Based on this study, the typical applicant in Brazil is typically a white female (67.4%), over 60 years of age (60.3%), unmarried or single (70.6%), affiliated with a religious group (89.1%), of middle class background (40.4%), who has completed high school and/or holds a university degree (93.8%). The motivation of donors was, in most cases, an altruistic gesture, represented by the desire to help society and science. Elucidating these demographic characteristics of potential donors may help identify the target public to which information regarding body donation campaigns could be directed. Anat Sci Educ 10: 475-486. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

The Effects of Passive Smoking on Laryngeal and Tracheal Mucosa in Male Wistar Rats During Growth: An Experimental Study.

Cigarettes contain toxic and carcinogenic substances. In this context, cigarette smoking, and similar activities, are associated with numerous pathologies, being considered a risk factor in up to 10% of the total number of deaths in adults. Recent evidence suggests that the exposure of children to smoking in the early days of their development causes many diseases. Using light microscopy, this study aims to analyze the possible histopathological effects of an experimental model of chronic inhalation of cigarette smoke (passive smoking) on the laryngeal and tracheal mucosa of young Wistar rats. A total of 24 young Wistar rats were studied for a period of 120 days. The animals were divided into two groups: passive smoking (n = 16) and control (n = 8). The level of exposure to cigarette smoke was evaluated from the urinary cotinine level. Although no cancerous lesions were identified, histopathological analysis in the laryngeal and tracheal mucosa of all the animals in the experimental group showed that the proportion of moderate and focal inflammation was higher in animals exposed to chronic inhalation of cigarette smoke (P = 0.041). Histopathologic analysis revealed moderate and focal inflammatory lesions in the region of the infraglottic mucosa in exposed animals, although without dysplastic or neoplastic lesions in the laryngeal and tracheal mucosa.

The hidden symbols of the female anatomy in Michelangelo Buonarroti's ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.

A number of published articles have suggested that each element of Renaissance art contains an inner meaning. Some of these elements include the choice of theme and protagonists, faces selected for the characters, colors used, species of flowers and trees chosen, animals depicted, positions of the elements, posture of the characters and their gestures, juxtapositions in the scenes, and even the very scenario or landscape. All of these elements are thought to have hidden meanings. In this context, this manuscript presents a new hypothesis suggesting that Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) may have concealed symbols associated with female anatomy in the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (painted 1508-1512) in Rome. Thus, this paper is useful to better understand the history of anatomy and corroborates recent descriptions that have suggested the possible existence of anatomic figures concealed in many of Michelangelo's works. Clin. Anat. 29:911-916, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Similarities in the surface area/volume ratio in the fibers of the recurrent laryngeal nerve can explain the symmetry in the vocal fold mobility?

We demonstrate in this paper that although there are statistical differences for all morphometric data [axon length, axon diameter, myelinated fiber diameter and degree of the myelination (g-Ratio)] between the fibers of recurrent laryngeal nerve right and left, the surface area/volume ratio in the fibers of both nerves is exactly the same (1/1.7). Thereby, this paper presents the hypothesis that this similarity between the nerves can actually trigger a considerable synchrony in mobility of the intrinsic muscles of the larynx that control of the vocal folds.