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BigBrain Maps & Models

Maps of cytoarchitectonic areas, cortical layers, and nuclei in the human cerebral cortex are a key aspect of multi-level brain atlases, and considered a gold standard for describing the cellular organization of the brain. Using modern image processing and Deep Learning methods, we generate highly detailed 3D maps for the BigBrain, which serve as a reference for localizing high-resolution multimodal measurements in a common space and build a basis to study the detailed morphology and architecture of this brain model.

How to cite the BigBrain
View and Explore Online
Explore the high resolution human brain model online in the ebrains siibra explorer.
Download the BigBrain Data
The full dataset of images, volumes, and surfaces are available for download on our ftp site. A subset of files can be accessed via LORIS offering different spatial resolutions. If you need help configuring ftp for your browser, click here

The BigBrain License
The BigBrain is an open dataset accessible to anyone.
Cortical Layer Maps
Explore BigBrain cortical layer segmentation online in the siibra viewer.
Cytoarchitectonic Maps
Explore BigBrain cytoarchitectonic maps online in the siibra viewer.
Selected 1 micron scans of BigBrain histological sections
Explore microscopic features at cellular level. BigBrain sections at micron in-plane resolution, aligned to the 20µm 3D-reconstructed BigBrain.
Julich Brain Atlas
Cytoarchitectonic maps of the human brain in high resolution comprising maps of more brain areas than ever identified before.

Explore the Julich Brain Atlas online link:
How to Cite
When referring to the BigBrain Project or using the data, please cite the original Science 2013 publication:

Amunts K et al. BigBrain: An ultrahigh-resolution 3D human brain model. Science. 2013; 340(6139):1472-1475. doi: 10.1126/science.1235381. PMID: 23788795.