Brain Region to Region Macroconnections
The links below provide access to macroconnection data tables for the named and delineated major divisions of the central nervous system (CNS). For the forebrain and midbrain (rostral sector), each table contains intrinsic output and input connection data for the named division, and for its extrinsic connections with the other named divisions in the rostral sector, as well as metadata. For the rhombicbrain (intermediate sector), the table includes data for intra-rhombicbrain connections (between its major divisions: pons, cerebellum, medulla).
The macroconnection data and metadata are sourced from collated connection reports in the primary literature, and are based on the results of axonal pathway tracing experiments spanning a period of about 50 years from the early 1970s to the 2020s. The tables allow for search, filter, sort, and additional functionality. Currently available data include more than 319,000 macroconnection reports and metadata within one side (left or right) and between sides, for the cerebral nuclei (basal ganglia), cerebral cortex, hypothalamus, thalamus, midbrain, pons, cerebellum, medulla, and spinal cord of the rat (the number is doubled when applied to both sides of the brain). Downloadable Excel spreadsheet files containing these data are included with the original publications (see Macroconnection Data Sources at the bottom of this page). Nomenclature for gray matter divisions follows an open access atlas for the rat brain (Brain Maps 4.0. Swanson, L.W. 2018; in some instances the nomenclature is revised in the publication, and these revisions are described). For additional information, including details of CNS gray matter organization, see the atlas, or on this website the Brain Maps page and the interactive spreadsheet Brain Maps 4.0 CNS Divisions. A table below the links may be used to find a gray matter region name if only the abbreviation is known, or vice versa.
Brain Region Names & Abbreviations
Use the scrollable table below to find the name of a gray matter region if only the abbreviation is known, or vice versa. For search, filter, sort, and additional functionality, pop-out the table to view it in a new window. For names and abbreviations of divisions below or above the level of gray matter region, and for other structures, refer to Brain Maps 4.0 (see also the interactive spreadsheet Brain Maps 4.0 CNS Divisions.)
Macroconnection Data Sources
Macroconnection reports included in the data tables were collated from the primary literature. The publications below describe network analyses based on these data.
1. Swanson, L.W., Sporns, O., Hahn, J.D. (2016). Network architecture of the cerebral nuclei (basal ganglia) association and commissural connectome. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 113(40): E5972-E5981. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1613184113
2. Swanson, L.W., Hahn, J.D., Sporns, O. (2017). Organizing principles for the cerebral cortex network of commissural and association connections. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 114(45): E9692-E9701. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1712928114
3. Swanson, L.W., Hahn, J.D., Jeub, L.G.S., Fortunato, S., Sporns, O. (2018). Subsystem organization of axonal connections within and between the right and left cerebral cortex and cerebral nuclei (endbrain). Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 115(29): E6910-E6919. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1807255115
4. Hahn, J.D., Sporns, O., Watts, A.G., Swanson, L.W. (2019). Macroscale intrinsic network architecture of the hypothalamus. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 116(16): 8018-8027. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1819448116
5. Swanson, L.W., Sporns, O., Hahn, J.D. (2019). The network organization of rat intrathalamic macroconnections and a comparison with other forebrain divisions. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 116(27): 13661-13669 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1905961116
6. Swanson, L.W., Sporns, O., Hahn, J.D. (2019) The network architecture of rat intrinsic interbrain (diencephalon) macroconnections and a comparison with endbrain (telencephalon) architecture. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 116(52): 26991-27000. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1915446116
7. Swanson, L.W., Hahn, J.D., Sporns, O. (2020) Structure–function subsystem models of female and male forebrain networks integrating cognition, affect, behavior, and bodily functions. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 117 (49) 31470-31481. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2017733117
8. Swanson, L.W., Hahn, J.D., Sporns, O. (2021) Subsystem macroarchitecture of the intrinsic midbrain neural network and its tectal and tegmental Subnetworks. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 118(20) e2101869118. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2101869118
9. Swanson, L.W., Hahn, J.D., Sporns, O. (2022) Structure-function subsystem model and computational lesions of the central nervous system's rostral sector (forebrain and midbrain). Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 119(45) e2210931119. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210931119
10. Swanson, L.W., Hahn, J.D., Sporns, O. (2023) Intrinsic circuitry of the rhombicbrain (central nervous system’s intermediate sector) in a mammal. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 120 (52) e2313997120. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313997120
11. Swanson, L.W., Hahn, J.D., Sporns, O. (2024) Network architecture of intrinsic connectivity in a mammalian spinal cord (the central nervous system's caudal sector). Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 121 (5) e2320953121. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2320953121
Header Image: Illustration adapted from Swanson, Hahn, & Sporns (2017) illustrating part of the subsystem organization of macroconnections between gray matter regions in the cerebral cortex.