Exploring the Human Connectome: The Rich and Famous

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• Martijn van den Heuvel, University Medical Center Utrecht, Netherlands
• Tuesday 30 October 2012, 11:00-12:00
• MRC CBU lecture theatre, 15 Chaucer Road.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Mikail Rubinov.

Within our brain, billions of neurons continuously interact through trillions of connections, together forming one integrative system, the human connectome. Healthy brain function depends on efficient neuronal signaling within this complex web of structural and functional interactions and for long distance communication and global integration of information in particular, the formation of highly connected nodes may be of pivotal importance.

Besides being individually ‘rich’ in connectivity, recent studies have suggested that these putative ‘brain hubs’ may show dense interconnectivity, suggesting the formation of a topological central collective that may act as a global attractor and integrator of neuronal information: the brain’s rich club.

In my talk I will highlight recent advances of connectome research in the mammalian brain, discussing the underlying thoughts that brain function may result not solely from single brain areas but rather emerges from interaction between brain regions, how the underlying structural and functional topology of the brain’s network may play an important role in brain functioning and perhaps cognitive performance, and how, conversely, affected brain connectivity may potentially underly brain disfunctioning as seen in several psychiatric and neurological brain disorders, such as schizophrenia, autism, Alzheimer’s disease and ALS . In addition, I will discuss some of the recent ideas of the rich club to form a communication skeleton, a central system that may, offsetting its high cost, aid the efficient routing of long-distance neuronal signaling and thus may act as a central high-cost, high-capacity backbone for global brain communication.

This talk is part of the Brain Mapping Unit Networks Meeting and the Cambridge Connectome Consortium series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• Brain Mapping Unit Networks Meeting and the Cambridge Connectome Consortium
• Department of Psychiatry talks stream
• MRC CBU lecture theatre, 15 Chaucer Road

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