It was one of the deadliest and most shocking volcanic eruptions in the history of Europe. In AD 79 an infamous eruption of Mount Vesuvius completely wiped out the city of Pompeii and Herculaneum and its inhabitants. The massive, overheated ash cloud was so hot that materials such as meat and wood were charred in moments.
Now, a team of Italian scientists has discovered preserved brain cells from the victim of a young man in his 20s who died during this catastrophic event (he was found lying face down on a bed in the Collegium Augustalium in Herculaneum) . The researchers claim that the structure of neurons is still visible in a black, vitreous material found inside the skull. The brain tissue had been turned into a black glassy material by the scorching temperatures caused by the eruption, and upon further examination of this incredible specimen, they found the presence of “perfectly preserved” ancient neurons.
“The discovery of brain tissue in ancient human remains is an unusual event, but what is extremely rare is the complete preservation of the neural structures of a central nervous system for more than 2000 years, in our case with unprecedented resolution”, explains forensic anthropologist Pier Paolo Petrone, project leader.
It could be the best example of preserved central nervous system tissue ever discovered in human archaeological remains .
How have neurons survived?
Using scanning electron microscopy and advanced imaging tools, the researchers closely studied the vitrified brain to uncover a series of structures that appear to be “exceptionally well-preserved” neurons and axons from a human brain and spinal cord.
According to experts, the vitrification of the brain was probably due to extreme heating and rapid cooling, allowing transformation. Petrone clarifies that the results of the study show that the vitrification process occurred in Herculaneum and froze the neural structures of the victim, preserving them intact to this day.
“Analysis of this black vitreous material showed the preservation of several highly expressed proteins in the various parts of the human brain: cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, midbrain, pituitary gland, amygdala, cerebellum, hippocampus, hypothalamus and spinal cord,” says Petrone.
“These genes are exceptionally important for neuronal functions since their mutations were detected in patients with brain pathologies. For example, MED13L was particularly abundant in the adult cerebellum and its mutations were detected in patients with intellectual disabilities ”, adds the expert.
Similarly, energy scattering X-ray spectroscopy tests revealed a protein called ATP6VIF known to be involved in the transmission of chemicals known as neurotransmitters.
The study of the remains of the victims of the eruption will not stop here, as this finding is important not only in the scientific field, but also in the field of historical studies and the strengthening of capacities to manage disasters such as the eruption of the Vesuvius. The experts will attempt a retrospective reconstruction of the different phases of the eruption, evaluating the times of exposure to high temperatures and cooling, which are key not only for archeology and bioanthropology but also for volcanic risk.
The study has been carried out by researchers from the University of Naples Federico II, CEINGE-Advanced Biotechnology, the Roma Tre University of Rome, the State of Milan and the National Research Council (CNR), and published in the journal PLOS ONE.
