The big data challenges of connectomics

Lichtman, Jeff W.; Pfister, Hanspeter; Shavit, Nir

doi:10.1038/nn.3837

The big data challenges of connectomics

Journal Article · Tue Oct 28 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Nature Neuroscience

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3837· OSTI ID:1347121

Lichtman, Jeff W. ^[1]; Pfister, Hanspeter ^[2]; Shavit, Nir ^[3]

Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States); DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI)
Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States)
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

The structure of the nervous system is extraordinarily complicated because individual neurons are interconnected to hundreds or even thousands of other cells in networks that can extend over large volumes. Mapping such networks at the level of synaptic connections, a field called connectomics, began in the 1970s with a the study of the small nervous system of a worm and has recently garnered general interest thanks to technical and computational advances that automate the collection of electron-microscopy data and offer the possibility of mapping even large mammalian brains. However, modern connectomics produces ‘big data’, unprecedented quantities of digital information at unprecedented rates, and will require, as with genomics at the time, breakthrough algorithmic and computational solutions. Here in this paper we describe some of the key difficulties that may arise and provide suggestions for managing them.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0008923

OSTI ID:: 1347121

Journal Information:: Nature Neuroscience, Journal Name: Nature Neuroscience Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 17; ISSN 1097-6256

Publisher:: Springer NatureCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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