In biological systems, structure often dictates function. Ultimately, differences in brain function across individuals and across species should be attributed to differences in brain anatomy and connectivity. To understand the relationship between brain function and structure, we are testing how functional differences in perception, cognition and personality are reflected in variation of brain structure. In our research, we use a variety of macroscopic neuroimaging techniques such as voxel-based morphometry (VBM), diffusion MRI, MR Spectroscopy, and resting-state fMRI in combination with behavioural measures and training. Differences in brain structure are partly driven by innate genetic factors, but they are also strongly influenced by environmental factors and training. We are interested to understand how brain structure is influenced by genes and how it changes in response to environmental and cultural influences. Using anatomical measures, we are interested to examine how differences in our phenomenal conscious experiences (e.g. auditory versus visual sensations) are reflected in the local and global anatomical patterns of the cortex. Furthermore, we apply our neuroanatomical approach to test how much we can infer about personality traits and cognitive styles of individuals from neuroimaging data.
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Reference:
Kanai, R. & Rees, G. (2011). The structural basis of inter-individual differences in human behaviour and cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 12, 231-242.