Succulent Intracalvarium Enclosing and Protecting the Brain of a Falling Gecko

Abstract:

Geckos are able to crawl or even run on the wall and the ceiling, but have to be in the face of the risk of falling down due to fatigue or a slip. From the opinion of natural selection and evolution, geckos must possess certain characteristics to prevent themselves especially their head from injury caused by impacting the ground. In this study, we looked into geckos brain to investigate their internal environment and structure, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). By means of volume integrating the brain parenchyma and the cerebrospinal fluid separately, we found that the intracalvarium is full of the cerebrospinal fluid, up to 45% in volume. And the brain parenchyma is surrounded by the cerebrospinal fluid. This implies the self-protection function of geckos brain appropriate to geckos behavior. The cerebrospinal fluid plays a buffer role in the risk of falling down to protect brain.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 461)
• Pages: 641-647
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.461.641
• Online since: November 2013
• Authors: Jing Dan Shao, Hao Wang, Wen Bo Wang, Zhen Dong Dai, Xu Xia Wang, Hao Lei
• Keywords: Gecko Crawling, Intracalvarium Liquid, Nature Evolution, Nature Selection, Protect Brain

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