Visual Cortexes: Brain-Art Competition Shows Off Neuroscience's Aesthetic Side
To highlight the artistic effort neuroscientists pour into their research images, a nonprofit group held a friendly competition. We review the top entries and winners
Visual Cortexes: Brain-Art Competition Shows Off Neuroscience's Aesthetic Side
- DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SEXES VIA HIERARCHICAL EDGE BUNDLING This winning entry in the human "connectome," or brain connections, category is based on fMRI data gathered from the brains of more than 1,000 people. Major brain regions are depicted in the outer circle, and specific locations (for example, "Amygdala L" is the left amygdala) are listed in the inner circle... John McGonigle/The Neuro Bureau
- TEXTURED BRAIN The brain is a monotone mass of neurons that is often difficult to pick apart, even on a dissection table. Yet through a technique called diffusion MRI, which measures the spread of water molecules through neural tissue, researchers can add revealing color to the maze of connections... Alfred Anwander and Robin M. Heidemann/The Neuro Bureau
- REBRAIN The flat brain image at center looks simple enough. That is, however, precisely why its creator—neuroscientist Roberto Toro—won in the 3-D brain-rendering category. "This image completely maximizes the amount of cortex tissue you can see, but doesn’t distort it so you can't recognize the regions," Margulies says... Roberto Toro/The Neuro Bureau
- SLICES OF LIFE On a vine-covered wall, MRI brain scans of happy minds and sad minds mingle. Artist Mireia Guitart collaborated with neuroscientist Simon Surguladze of King's College London to create the work, and she said it is meant to show how similar areas of the brain are activated in response to each emotion... Mireia Guitart/The Neuro Bureau
- THE BRAIN TREE This hand-drawn illustration submitted by Norwegian artist Silje Soeviknes won the Brain-Art Competition's abstract category. "[I]n my language the brain stem is called the 'brain tree trunk' ( hjernestamme ) and the brain cortex is called the 'brain tree skin' ( hjernebark )," Soeviknes said of her work's symbolism... Silje Soeviknes, Erlend Hodneland and Judith Haász/The Neuro Bureau
- LA MIE DE BRAIN Translated as "crumbs of the brain," this illustration of the cerebral cortex depicts the transition in early research of major regions to detailed modern analyses. Neuroscientists in the past century first mapped major brain regions (primary colors), but modern researchers are now studying connected structures at the cellular level... Erik Ziegler and the Cyclotron Art Committee/The Neuro Bureau
