Santiago Ramón y Cajal and Harvey Cushing: Two Forefathers of Neuroscience and Neurosurgery

ObjectiveTo summarize the extraordinary accomplishments, and the commonalities, between Santiago Ramon y Cajal and Harvey Williams Cushing.MethodsExisting literature describing the lives and achievements of Ramón y Cajal and Cushing, as well as personal communication, and the surgical records of the Johns Hopkins Hospital, from 1896 to 1912, were reviewed.ResultsBoth Ramón y Cajal and Cushing were men of unusually broad interests and talents, and these shared characteristics undoubtedly influenced the career paths and scientific investigations they pursued. Although Santiago Ramón y Cajal and Harvey Williams Cushing never directly interacted, the links between them can be traced through some of their disciples, including Pío del Río Hortega, Wilder Penfield, and Percival Bailey.ConclusionsRamón y Cajal and Cushing are widely considered the forefathers of neuroscience and neurosurgery, respectively, and their discoveries have made lasting impressions on both the scientific and medical communities.