In the field of connectomics, the goal is to find how memories, personality traits and skills are stored in the brain.

A connectome would provide a far more detailed look at the brain’s inner workings than current techniques that measure blood flow in certain regions. The researchers contend that it would literally show how people are wired and illuminate differences in the brains of people with mental illness.

“The world is not yet ready for the million-petabyte data set the human brain would be,” Dr. Jeff Lichtman of Harvard said. “But it will be.”