Laminar fMRI at 3T: A replication attempt of top-down and bottom-up laminar activity in the primary visual cortex
for Karolis Degutis
This thesis explored whether laminar fMRI at 3T could replicate findings from higher-field 7T fMRI experiments. While the attempt ultimately failed, it led to a beautiful visualization of the brain’s layered gray matter.
The Creation Process
This was the first Thesis Art piece created using Makie.jl in the JuliaLang programming language. A key challenge was creating paths along the cortex, a challenge for visualization but also a challenge for laminar data-analysis itself — since only discrete points were available, Benedikt employed algorithms to solve the Traveling Salesman Problem to determine the shortest path linking them.
Artistic Concept
Since this project involved MRI data, the choice of a brain underlying the final visualization seemed natural. The art piece highlights the cortex’s layered structure while integrating nearly the entire thesis as embedded text within the brain’s folds.
“This is Karolis’ actual brain! He later pursued a PhD on a related topic, and we remain forever connected — both through neuroscience and our mutual love for DakhaBrakha.”
Benedikt Ehinger
Personal Reflection
“I love these kinds of images because they reveal the uniqueness, beauty, and fractal nature of the human brain”, Benedikt reflects on the piece’s impact.
