2 - Normal Brain Histopathology

Surgical neuropathology can be challenging due to the intrinsic complexity of the human brain, yet a basic understanding of cell types and their organization is necessary. Much like pattern recognition is used for classifying diseases, so too can normal histology be approached based on tissue pattern recognition. Normal cells of the brain include neurons, glia, and microglia, as well as endothelial and perivascular cells, leptomeningeal cells, melanocytes, and choroid plexus. The morphologies, organization, and function of these cell types vary dramatically based on brain region, which is evident by the contrasting histologic features of the cerebral cortex and white matter, basal ganglia, thalamus, brainstem, cerebellum, and spinal cord, as well as specialized structures such as the pineal and pituitary glands and the hippocampus. The practice of surgical neuropathology also requires a familiarity with the features of the developing brain as well as those features associated with aging.