Which scientist's belief in a continuous neural network was later disproven by Cajal?

• A. Camillo Golgi
• B. Santiago Ramón y Cajal
• C. Henry Head
• D. Charles Sherrington

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is the structure of the nervous system: is it a single continuous network or a collection of individual cells? Camillo Golgi championed the idea that neurons form one continuous network, a reticular theory. Cajal challenged that view and provided compelling evidence that neurons are separate cells that communicate at gaps called synapses. By applying the Golgi staining method and detailing how individual neurons are arranged with clear boundaries, Cajal showed that the nervous system is made of discrete units rather than a single, uninterrupted net. This shifted the field to the neuron doctrine, the now-established view that neurons are the basic signaling units in the brain.