Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have created the first atlas of the human brain’s surface based on genetic information. The atlas shows that the cerebral cortex is divided into genetic divisions, differing from other brain maps based on physiology or function. The map is based solely on genetic information derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 406 adult twins, plotting genetic correlations on the cortical surface of the twins’ brains. The new atlas will be useful for scientists who employ genome-wide association studies, a fairly new tool that looks for genetic variants in people that may be associated with a specific trait, condition or disease.