Columnar neurons have been widely studied in Diptera, locusts, honey bees and other insects. In the mammalian brain, a "columnar organisation" is referred to neurons of the neocortex, however these differ from columnar neurons which are found in the insects central nervous system.

columnar neuron

A neuron of the invertebrate central nervous system. This neuron innervates the central complex (CX) of an invertebrate brain and it forms columnar patterns with its dendrites. It is involved in navigation and spatial processing.