Editing Neuropil (section)

===Recent studies===
In chimpanzees and humans the neuropil provides a proxy measure of total connectivity within a local region because it is composed mostly of dendrites, axons, and synapses.<ref name="Spocter">{{cite journal|last1=Spocter|first1=Muhammad A|last2=Hopkins|first2= William D.|last3=Barks|first3= Sarah K.|last4=Bianchi|first4= Serena|last5=Hehmeyer|first5= Abigail E.|last6=Anderson|first6= Sarah M.|last7=Stimpson|first7= Cheryl D.|last8=Fobbs|first8= Archibald J.|last9=Hof|first9= Patrick R.|last10=Sherwood|first10= Chet C.|title=Neuropil distribution in the cerebral cortex differs between humans and chimpanzees|journal=The Journal of Comparative Neurology|year=2012|doi=10.1002/cne.23074|issn=1096-9861|volume=520|issue=13|pages=2917–2929|pmid=22350926|pmc=3556724}}</ref>

In insects the central complex plays an important role in higher-order brain function. The neuropil in ''Drosophila'' Ellipsoid is composed of four substructures. Each section has been observed in several insects as well as the influence it has on [[behavior]], however the exact function of this neuropil has proven elusive. Abnormal walking behavior and flight behavior are controlled primarily by the central complex and genetic [[mutations]] that disrupt the structure support the hypothesis that the central complex neuropil is a site of behavioral control. However, only specific components of the behavior were affected with the genetic mutations. For example, basic leg coordination of walking was normal, whereas speed, activity, and turning were affected. These observations suggest that the central complex not only plays a role in locomotor behavior, but fine tuning as well. There is also additional evidence that the neuropil may function in [[olfaction|olfactory]] associative learning and [[memory]].<ref name="Renn">{{cite journal|last1=Renn|first1=Susan C. P.|first2=J. Douglas|last2=Armstrong|first3=Mingyao|last3=Yang|first4=Zongsheng|last4=Wang|first5=Xin|last5=An|first6=Kim|last6=Kaiser|first7=Paul H.|last7=Taghert|title=Genetic analysis of the Drosophila ellipsoid body neuropil: Organization and development of the central complex|journal=Journal of Neurobiology|date=Nov 5, 1999|volume=41|issue=2|pages=189–207|issn=0022-3034|doi=10.1002/(sici)1097-4695(19991105)41:2<189::aid-neu3>3.3.co;2-h|pmid=10512977|citeseerx=10.1.1.458.8098}}</ref>

Research has shown reduced neuropil in area 9 of schizophrenics,<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Buxhoeveden D, Ror E, Switala A | year = 2000 | title = Reduced interneuronal space in schizophrenia | journal = Biological Psychiatry | volume = 47 | issue = 7| pages = 681–682 | doi=10.1016/s0006-3223(99)00275-9| pmid = 10809534 | s2cid = 33719925 }}</ref> as well as consistent findings of reduced spine density in layer III [[pyramidal neuron]]s of the temporal and frontal cortices.{{Cn|date=February 2022}}