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Updated: Apr 15, 2026
Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging
Published on: November 8, 2012
Connectomics and new approaches for analyzing human brain functional connectivity.
R Cameron Craddock1, Rosalia L Tungaraza2, Michael P Milham1
1Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd, Orangeburg, 10962 New York USA ; Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, 445 Park Ave, New York, 10022 New York USA.
Understanding the human connectome requires analyzing complex brain functional interactions. This review highlights big data challenges in connectomics and calls for new neuroimaging analysis tools, offering open data resources for researchers.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Data Science
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Understanding the human connectome involves mapping functional brain interactions.
- Individual differences in cognition, behavior, and psychiatric conditions are linked to these connections.
- Functional connectivity research presents a significant "big data" challenge due to complexity and data volume.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key challenges in brain functional connectomics.
- To encourage data scientists to contribute to solving these problems.
- To provide open-access data resources for researchers.
Main Methods:
- Review of current challenges in functional connectomics.
- Discussion of the "big data" nature of connectome analysis.
- Identification of needs for advanced neuroimaging analysis tools.
Main Results:
- Several outstanding problems in brain functional connectomics are described.
- The need for novel algorithms and tools for neuroimaging analysis is emphasized.
- Open science resources with raw and preprocessed data are made available.
Conclusions:
- Solving complex connectomics problems requires interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly from data science.
- Development of new analytical tools is crucial for extracting knowledge from the human connectome.
- Accessible data resources can accelerate research in brain functional connectivity.
