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Webs of neurons connected in space.
Scientists co-led by Princeton University’s Sebastian Seung have mapped the visual centers of a mouse brain, revealing the largest and most detailed look to date at the internal wiring of mammalian perception. Image by Tyler Sloan, Quarametrix Studio
For the first time, scientists map the half-billion connections that allow mice to see
By

Scott Lyon
on

April 9, 2025

After nine years of painstaking work, an international team of researchers on Wednesday published a precise map of the vision centers of a mouse brain, revealing the exquisite structures and functional systems of mammalian perception.

To date, it is the largest and most detailed such rendering of neural circuits in a mammalian brain.

The map promises to accelerate the study of normal brain function: seeing, storing and processing memories, navigating complex environments. As importantly, it will deepen the study of brain disorders in anatomical and physiological terms — that is, in terms of the wiring and the relationships between circuits and signals. That’s especially promising for disorders that may arise from atypical wiring, such as autism and schizophrenia.