Based on most neuroanatomical descriptions, the anterior spinal artery (ASA) originates from two small vessels of the vertebral arteries, which are anastomosed just before forming the basilar artery. This study aimed to determine and quantify the possible variants of the origin of the ASA and its trajectory in samples of human brain stems. Male brain stems with the superior portion of the spinal cord until myelomera C3 of 23 adult human, and no evident morphological alterations were selected. The brain stems were collected for three years and fixed in a 10% formalin solution at the Anatomy Laboratory of the Universidad de Caldas (Colombia). Five samples (21.7%) had variations in the origin and trajectory of the anterior spinal artery. The variations in the origin of the ASA could generate morphofunctional advantages instead of leading to complications. That is the case when there are two anterior spinal arteries since it would increase tissue perfusion, thus protecting part of the spinal cord from ischemic pathologies. It is essential to consider the variations that may exist in the supply of the anterior region of the spinal cord for clinical and surgical assessments due to variations in its supplied territory.

Interthalamic adhesion is an inconstant part of the human diencephalic neuroanatomy, which some histological studies have indicated it is a gray commissure and others a white commissure. Its presence has been associated with alterations in health status, including schizophrenia, psychotic states, and hydrocephalus. Thirty-one fresh human brains were evaluated randomly, to determine the presence of interthalamic adhesion and its histological composition, by way of lamina terminalis puncture of the third ventricle. Photographic records were taken and histological processes was performed by hematoxylin-eosin staining, in the case of the existence of the adhesion. It was found that 51.71% did present interthalamic adhesion, and on histological examination, no neuron bodies were found in the median part, which implies that does not correspond to a gray commissure, but interthalamic adhesion in humans is variable, with a predominance of glial cells. There is no gray commissure in human interthalamic adhesions.

The terminal ventricle is a dilation of the ventricular system located within the spinal cord, which is enveloped in ependymal cells that are involved in the dynamic of the cerebrospinal liquid. In the present study, four Saguinus leucopus specimens were dissected, two males and two females, whose spinal cords were extracted and histologically processed via hematoxylin and eosin stains of cuts at the conus medullaris. The S. leucopus’ terminal ventricle was observed at the conus medullaris, and had an average diameter of 241.38 μm. Thus, the presence of the terminal ventricle in the S. leucopus at the level of the conus medullaris was established.

Eponyms have been part of medical language for many centuries, have put down powerful cultural roots, and continue to be used mainly in the language of medical specialties. The problem with eponymy is that it does not provide any relevant information about what is being studied, which hinders learning and generates communication problems. Ten oral presentations were randomly evaluated, as were all poster presentations made at the II Peruvian Congress on Morphological Sciences and the XV Ibero-Latin American Symposium on Anatomical, Histological, and Embryological Terminology, held in March of 2018 in Lima, Peru. This was done in order to quantify eponym use. Of the 10 oral presentations randomly selected, the eponym use was identified in six (60%). Of the 33 poster presentations made, six (18.18%) used eponyms. In conclusion, eponyms continue to be used indiscriminately in the language of the morphological sciences.