Rufus of Ephesus: a historical perspective on his contributions to neuroanatomy

Abstract

Rufus of Ephesus (circa 1–2 AD) lived in the ancient city of Ephesus, Izmir Province of Turkey. He made significant contributions to many branches of sciences including neuroanatomy. This historical perspective manuscript focuses mainly on his neuroanatomical contributions. He described several structures, such as the pericranium, meninges, encephalon, parencephalon, varicosities, and the anatomy of the sellar region and the eye. He also coined essential terms in the nervous system such as tunica prima (dura mater), tunica altera (pia mater), spinal marrow (spinal cord), base of brain (brainstem), and choroid tunic (choroid plexus). Because of the limited number of extant works, he is not as well-known as his contemporaries. Yet, Rufus of Ephesus deserves to be recognized to the fullest for his precious and numerous contributions to neuroanatomy.