Changing Connectomes

An up-to-date overview of the field of connectomics, introducing concepts and mechanisms underlying brain network change at different stages.

The human brain undergoes massive changes during its development, from early childhood and the teenage years to adulthood and old age. Across a wide range of species, from C. elegans and fruit flies to mice, monkeys, and humans, information about brain connectivity (connectomes) at different stages is now becoming available. New approaches in network neuroscience can be used to analyze the topological, spatial, and dynamical organization of such connectomes. In Changing Connectomes, Marcus Kaiser provides an up-to-date overview of the field of connectomics and introduces concepts and mechanisms underlying brain network changes during evolution and development. 

Drawing on a range of results from experimental, clinical, and computational studies, Kaiser describes changes during healthy brain maturation and during brain network disorders (including such neurodevelopmental conditions as schizophrenia and depression), brain injury, and neurodegenerative disorders including dementia. He argues that brain stimulation is an area where understanding connectome development could help in assessing long-term effects of interventions. Changing Connectomes is a suitable starting point for researchers who are new to the field of connectomics, and also for researchers who are interested in the link between brain network organization and brain and cognitive development in health and disease. Matlab/Octave code examples available at the MIT Press website will allow computational neuroscience researchers to understand and extend the shown mechanisms of connectome development.

Preface
1. Introduction
Part I. Connectome Structure
2. Features of Complex Networks
3. Evolution of Neural Systems
4. Organization of Neural Systems
Part II. Connectome Maturation
5. Brain Development
6. Layer Formation
7. Axonal Growth
8. Formation of Hubs
9. Module Formation
10. Cortical Folding
Part III. Connectome Changes
11. Development and Ageing
12. Neurodevelopmental Disorders
13. Neurodegenerative Disorders
14. Recovery from Injury
15. Brain Stimulation Effects
Glossary
References"A central focus of contemporary connectomics is on patterns of change — capturing how connectomes grow, mature, degenerate, evolve, adapt and reconfigure. This important book provides a comprehensive account of how these changes unfold, and how they relate to brain dynamics, cognition and behavior."
– Olaf Sporns, Distinguished Professor, Indiana University; author of Networks of the Brain and Discovering the Human Connectome

"From the wiring diagram of the worm nervous system through to the gamechanging potential of big data and AI, the author clearly lays out basic principles and thoughtfully guides the reader through cuttingedge discoveries and future applications of the exploding science of brain connectomics."
– Heidi JohansenBerg, University of Oxford; author of Diffusion MRIMarcus Kaiser is Professor of Neuroinformatics in the School of Computing at Newcastle University and Visiting Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and is Chair of Neuroinformatics UK.