In researching the anxious brain (covered in a previous post), I discovered that during symptom provocation studies (showing patients photos of fearful faces), the amygdala showed hyperactivity. After looking through various brain map images informing/illustrating the researchers' conclusions, I became interested in neuroimaging technology altogether.
Brain mapping is the study of the brain and spinal cord's anatomical structure and functioning, and neuroimaging is one of the processes used to construct an accurately detailed, high-resolution brain map. Connectomes are complex brain maps of neural connections made by using different magnetic response imaging (MRI) methods and various computer-assisted techniques; connectomics developed partly as a response to genomics, out of concern for neural factors in personality development rather than genetic factors. The two most used MRI methods for connectome construction are diffusion-weighted (DW-MRI) and functional (fMRI), respectively measuring changes in water and blood flow. When combined with a 3D modelling technique known as nerve tractography, DW-MRI shows major fiber bundles in the brain. fMRI reveals the brain's network activity (while subject either rests or carries out specified tasks), allowing the researcher to identify functionally connected areas of the brain. I've included a moodboard with some thoughts and captions.
The first time I actually came across this imagery was seeing the cover art of Muse's album 'The 2nd Law', which utilises an image produced by a team of researchers on the Human Connectome Project, launched in 2009. I found the website gallery of their findings useful in collecting images for inspiration, as well as videos as it took me to their still active YouTube channel. I've included a short video that beautifully demonstrates the computerised process of layering microscopic slices of brain data through study of the amygdala, as well as a beautiful showcase of impressive recent corticospinal tract research.
In 2012, multi-disciplinary scientist Sebastian Seung developed a citizen-science social computing browser game where players can solve puzzles to help researchers map the connectome. My attempt at playing it for around 10 minutes was tough on my laptop, but really enjoyable - the colouring process is intuitive and demonstrates the process really well.
Obviously, I wouldn't be able to gather any original factual material even if I wanted to, as the data collection and processing tools are reserved for important, sophisticated research. However, Blender gives me 3D modelling possibilities for figures inspired by the neurobiological forms I've been researching.
Dance choreographer Alastair Marriot designed this ballet after his father was diagnosed with cancer. He titled the work 'Connectome' inspired by the idea that our individual experiences create an "intricate web" in our minds. Growing on a projector screen behind the dancers is a huge cancer cell, emphasising the devastating biological context, and the ballet's narrative itself represents "infatuation, spirituality and loss", in Marriot's words. I am intrigued by how he translated a neurobiological concept into such a fluid, emotional performative medium such as dance.
A milestone high-resolution connectome of a fruit fly made by Google and Janelia Research Campus scientists using a scanning electron microscope and pathway-tracing algorithmic processes. The sheer absurdity of how researchers depicted this fruit fly's brain circuitry is very eye-catching to me. Pastel candyfloss colours, skinny little balloons, roundly collected dyed spaghetti - this is what I see. It's an example of my aesthetic gravitation towards this topic, because it combines exciting, sophisticated science with mind-boggling artistic representation, bridging the two worlds that are most commonly thought of as incompatible. This obscurity and outlandishness is something I crave in my creative input and output, so it will be at the forefront of my mind during further experimentation.
Concerning tractography, I found a few really awe-inspiring gifs during my research.
Bibliography
Holzschneider, K., & Mulert, C. (2011). 'Neuroimaging in anxiety disorders' In: Dialogues in clinical neuroscience 13(4), 453–461.
'Connectomics: Jeff Lichtman at TEDxCaltech' [Video] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F37kuXObIBU&ab_channel=TEDxTalks
'Human Connectome' [Video] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxlV50P6NEI&ab_channel=SciShow
'Building a Computer Like Your Brain' [Video] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za21GOxVh18&ab_channel=BloombergQuicktake
Toga, A. W., Clark, K. A., Thompson, P. M., Shattuck, D. W., & Van Horn, J. D. (2012). 'Mapping the human connectome' In: Neurosurgery 71(1), 1–5. At: https://doi.org/10.1227/NEU.0b013e318258e9ff
Stinson, L. (2013) 'A Videogame That Recruits Players to Map the Brain' In: Wired At: https://www.wired.com/2013/08/a-video-game-that-lets-you-be-a-neuroscientist/
Jeurissen, B., Descoteaux, M., Mori, S., & Leemans, A. (2017). 'Diffusion MRI fiber tractography of the brain. NMR' In: Biomedicine e3785. At: doi:10.1002/nbm.3785
FlyEM In: Janelia Research Campus. At: https://www.janelia.org/project-team/flyem/hemibrain
Vincent, J. (2020). 'Google publishes largest ever high-resolution map of brain connectivity' In: The Verge. At: https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/22/21076806/google-janelia-flyem-fruit-fly-brain-map-hemibrain-connectome
The Human Connectome Project. At: http://www.humanconnectomeproject.org/gallery/
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