Connectominen

Connectominen is a term used in some contexts to refer to the study and mapping of neural connections in the brain, aligning with the field commonly known as connectomics. It denotes the effort to construct and analyze a connectome, the comprehensive network of neurons and synapses that underpins brain structure and function, across species and scales. In Finnish-language literature, connectominen may be used as a direct adaptation of connectomics, while in English the term connectomics is more prevalent.

Methods used in connectominen include advanced imaging and data analysis. On the macroscopic level, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) and tractography are used to infer large-scale connectivity in living brains. At the microscopic level, electron microscopy and serial section techniques enable reconstruction of synaptic wiring in animal tissue. Computational methods from graph theory, network science, and machine learning are applied to construct, annotate, and compare connectomes, and to model how network structure relates to function and behavior.

Goals of connectominen include elucidating how brain networks develop, reorganize after injury, differ across individuals and species, and give rise to cognitive abilities and disorders. The field also supports the design of neurotechnologies, brain-inspired computing, and preclinical models for disease.

Challenges involve data volume and resolution, accurate mapping across scales, standardization of methods and data formats, reproducibility, and ethical considerations around privacy when human data are involved. Integration with functional data remains complex, as connectivity does not by itself determine activity patterns.

See also: connectome, connectomics, neuroinformatics, brain networks, graph theory. The term connectominen highlights the broader interest in mapping neural networks in a principled, data-driven way and is closely related to the international field of connectomics.