Connectograms are graphical representations of connectomics, the field of study dedicated to mapping and interpreting all of the white matter fiber connections in the human brain.
[6] Connectograms were also cited as a source of inspiration for the heads-up display style of Tony Stark's helmet in Iron Man 3.
In order from outermost to innermost, these metric rings represent the grey matter volume, surface area, cortical thickness, curvature, and degree of connectivity (the relative proportion of fibers initiating or terminating in the region compared to the whole brain).
[1] With the recent concerted push to map all of the human brain and its connections,[8][9] it has become increasingly important to find ways to graphically represent the large amounts of data involved in connectomics.
Irimia and Van Horn (2012) have published connectograms which examine the correlative relationships between regions and uses the figures to compare the approaches of graph theory and connectomics.
Connectogram showing average connections and cortical measures of 110 normal, right-handed males, aged 25-36.
Legend for metadata presented in the various rings of the connectogram.
Brains colored according to the outer ring of the connectogram.
This video cycles around the connectogram, showing only the connections that begin in one cortical region, before moving on to the next single region.
Connectogram, typical of those in clinical use, depicting estimated connection damage in
Phineas Gage
, who in 1848 survived a large iron bar being propelled through his skull and brain. The connectogram shows only the connections that were estimated to be damaged.
A connectogram of a healthy control subject, and includes 5 additional nodal measures not included in the standard connectogram. From outside to inside, the rings represent the cortical region, grey matter volume, surface area, cortical thickness, curvature, degree of connectivity, node strength, betweenness centrality, eccentricity, nodal efficiency, and eigenvector centrality. Between degree of connectivity and node strength, a blank ring has been added as a placeholder.
