NeuroVault

NeuroVault is a web-based repository for storing and sharing neuroimaging statistical maps, brain parcellations, and related metadata. The platform is designed to promote transparency, reuse, and large-scale meta-analysis by enabling researchers to upload and publicly share image-based results from functional and structural MRI studies.

Files uploaded to NeuroVault typically include unthresholded and thresholded statistical maps (such as z maps, t maps, and beta maps) as well as brain parcellations and mask images, usually in standard formats like NIfTI. Each item is accompanied by metadata describing the study, including title, authors, experimental contrast, sample size, imaging modality, brain template, and links to the associated publication. Users can organize maps into collections and assign licensing terms for reuse.

The site provides an interactive map viewer that overlays images on standard brain templates and supports comparisons across studies. Data can be downloaded individually or in bulk, and NeuroVault offers an API for programmatic access to images and metadata, enabling automated analyses and integration with other tools.

NeuroVault is widely used to facilitate image-based meta-analyses, reproducibility, and data reuse in the neuroimaging community. It has been utilized alongside tools like NeuroSynth and other meta-analytic workflows, and it supports linking results to publications and providing proper attribution for reused data. The project emphasizes open science and allows submitters to specify licensing terms for their data.

The platform is a community-driven project developed by researchers and supported by academic institutions and funding bodies, reflecting a broader movement toward accessible, reusable neuroimaging data.