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Fenna M. Krienen

Graduate student, Buckner Lab

Dept. of Psychology & Center for Brain Science, Harvard University

CV | PUBLICATIONS

Research Interests

Connectivity helps to constrain interpretations of function. We use MRI methods to explore large-scale networks across the human cerebrum and cerebellum. In this way, we can explore how the internal organization of the human brain compares to other species, as well as provide insight into the functional significance of new, expanded or modified circuits. This will hopefully enable us to supplement coarse measures such as encephalization quotient or brain volume differences by examining how specific brain circuits give rise to specific behaviors.

One possibility is that the human brain is simply a scaled-up version of a ‘prototypical’ primate brain. An alternative view is that evolution acts on particular brain circuits that are specialized for particular behaviors or adaptations. Moving forward, I hope to adopt a comparative approach to human mental health and brain evolution by studying how different ‘cerebro-types’ enable a diversity of complex behaviors in other species.

Check out my recent Harvard Horizons presentation here!