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Sharing neuroimaging studies of human cognition

Nature Neuroscience volume 7, pages 473–481 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

After more than a decade of collecting large neuroimaging datasets, neuroscientists are now working to archive these studies in publicly accessible databases. In particular, the fMRI Data Center (fMRIDC), a high-performance computing center managed by computer and brain scientists, seeks to catalogue and openly disseminate the data from published fMRI studies to the community. This repository enables experimental validation and allows researchers to combine and examine patterns of brain activity beyond that of any single study. As with some biological databases, early scientific, technical and sociological concerns hindered initial acceptance of the fMRIDC. However, with the continued growth of this and other neuroscience archives, researchers are recognizing the potential of such resources for identifying new knowledge about cognitive and neural activity. Thus, the field of neuroimaging is following the lead of biology and chemistry, mining its accumulating body of knowledge and moving toward a 'discovery science' of brain function.

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Figure 1: The use of archived neuroimaging data can lead to new findings from the original study data or, simply, novel ways of visualizing previously reported effects.
Figure 2: Functional connectivity modeling is one way in which fMRI time-course data may be reused, not to identify individual activation foci, but to explore how these foci are interacting.

Ivelisse Robles

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Acknowledgements

The fMRI Data Center is supported by the National Science Foundation (BCS-9978166), the William M. Keck Foundation, and the National Institute of Mental Health Human Brain Project.

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Author notes

  1. John Darrell Van Horn, Scott T Grafton, Daniel Rockmore and Michael S Gazzaniga: All authors are at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, the Dartmouth Brain Imaging Center and the fMRI Data Center,

    John Darrell Van Horn, Scott T Grafton, Daniel Rockmore & Michael S Gazzaniga

  2. Department of Mathematics and the fMRI Data Center,

    John Darrell Van Horn, Scott T Grafton, Daniel Rockmore & Michael S Gazzaniga

  3. Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and the fMRI Data Center,

    John Darrell Van Horn, Scott T Grafton, Daniel Rockmore & Michael S Gazzaniga

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  1. John Darrell Van Horn
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Correspondence to John Darrell Van Horn.

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Horn, J., Grafton, S., Rockmore, D. et al. Sharing neuroimaging studies of human cognition. Nat Neurosci 7, 473–481 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1231

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