The highways and byways of the brain

by Claus C Hilgetag, Basilis Zikopoulos

Brain functions rely on the communication network formed by axonal fibers. However, the number of axons connecting different brain regions is unknown. A study in PLoS Biology addresses this question and finds that most areas of the human cerebral cortex are linked by an astoundingly small number of fibers. Activity patterns and complex functions of the brain rely on the characteristic communication network formed by axonal fiber networks, but how many axons actually connect different brain regions? This Primer explores a study in PLOS Biology which finds that most areas of the human cerebral cortex are linked by an astoundingly small number of fibers.