The Wiring of the Brain

kvd1 — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 18:03:52 +0000

Donald Brien

An example of Diffusion Spectrum Imaging (DSI) from Queen’s new Prisma Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Some of the most beautiful images generated by MRI are created by imaging the diffusion (movement) of water throughout the brain. From this diffusion, we can generate maps of the neuron connections that are responsible for carrying messages from one area of the brain to another. Seen here, they are coded by direction, such that blue tracts move from foot to head, red tracts move from left to right in the head, and green tracts move from the front to the back of the head. There are 30,000 tracts displayed in this image. By adulthood, the average person has ~160,000 km total length of these tracts.

Location of photograph:

Centre for Neuroscience Studies, MRI Facility, Queen’s University

Prize name:

Art in Action

Submission Year:

2019-20