Connectomics

Connectomics is an emerging field of research within neuroscience.. The word itself refers to the study of connectomes, or a map of the neural connections in the brain.

Connectomes are studied at different scales, focusing on different parts of the neural system. On the microscale, tissues are sliced into extremely thin layers, containing millions of neurons and synapses. Electron microscopy is used to study such small components , which is a technique to view minuscule objects through beams of electrons, resulting in high resolution images. These images are then used to form a map, showing every single neuron and synapse in the neural pathway. The microscale is commonly used on small and simple organisms. 

In contrast, the macroscale is more commonly used with humans. Magnetic resonance imaging is used as a non-invasive imaging technique, creating intricate pictures of the tissues inside the human brain. The map shows the entire network of connections and the tracts connecting parts of the brain, much larger than the map on the microscale. It provides a detailed visual of active communication within the brain.

Although connectomics is a relatively new field of study in neuroscience, it is expanding rapidly due to the improvement of AI tools that help in reconstructing parts of the neural system. Connectomes help show how changes in neural wiring affect the thoughts and behavior of organisms. It has also helped to identify possible causes of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and autism.

Recently, in 2024, researchers mapped the entirety of an adult fruit fly brain, which contains around 139,000 neurons and 50 million synapses. Although humans have a much larger number of neurons and synapses, fruit flies share many genetic similarities with humans in terms of the causes of diseases. Researchers hope to use this data to further progress the study of the human brain by mapping a mouse brain as the next step in their studies.

References:

Anbarasi, Janova, et al. “Translational Connectomics: Overview of Machine Learning in Macroscale Connectomics for Clinical Insights.” BMC Neurology, vol. 24, no. 1, Sept. 2024, p. 364, doi:10.1186/s12883-024-03864-0.

Behrens, Timothy E. J., and Olaf Sporns. “Human Connectomics.” Current Opinion in Neurobiology, vol. 22, no. 1, Feb. 2012, pp. 144–53, doi:10.1016/j.conb.2011.08.005.

Chapman, Maddy. “What Is Connectomics?” BioTechniques, 10 Feb. 2026, https://www.biotechniques.com/neuroscience/what-is-connectomics-how-microscopy-and-ai-have-combined-to-revolutionize-neuroscience/.

“Frontiers.” Frontiers, https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/70310/brain-connectomics-a-comprehensive-mapping-and-analysis-of-brain-connectivity-in-health-and-disease. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

“Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the Spine and Brain.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, 28 May 2024, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri-of-the-spine-and-brain.

Middlebrooks, Erik H., and Sanjeet S. Grewal. “Brain Connectomics.” Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, vol. 32, no. 3, Aug. 2022, pp. 543–52, doi:10.1016/j.nic.2022.04.002.

Oh, Seung Wook, et al. “A Mesoscale Connectome of the Mouse Brain.” Nature, vol. 508, no. 7495, Apr. 2014, pp. 207–14, doi:10.1038/nature13186.

“Researchers Fully Map Neural Connections of the Fruit Fly Brain.” National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/science-updates/2024/researchers-fully-map-neural-connections-of-the-fruit-fly-brain. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

Sughrue, Michael. “What Is Connectomics?” Omniscient Neurotechnology, 1 July 2022, https://www.o8t.com/blog/connectomics.

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