Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42675118›Full record

ReviewNature methods2026

Go figure: transparency in neuroscience images preserves context and clarifies interpretation.

Paul A Taylor, Himanshu Aggarwal, Peter A Bandettini, Marco Barilari, Molly G Bright, César Caballero-Gaudes, Vince D Calhoun, Mallar Chakravarty, Gabriel A Devenyi, Jennifer W Evans and 32 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Nature methods, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

42 authors.

Paul A TaylorScientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. paul.taylor@nih.gov.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0488-6796
Himanshu AggarwalInria, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Palaiseau, France.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2451-0470
Peter A BandettiniSection on Functional Imaging Methods, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9038-4746
Marco BarilariCrossmodal Perception and Plasticity Lab, Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3313-3120
Molly G BrightDepartment of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
César Caballero-GaudesBasque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, San Sebastián, Spain.
Vince D CalhounTri-institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State, Georgia Tech, and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9058-0747
Mallar ChakravartyCerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0759-5508
Gabriel A DevenyiCerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7766-1187
Jennifer W EvansExperimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Eduardo A Garza-VillarrealDepartment of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurobiology, Institute of Neurobiology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México campus Juriquilla, Querétaro, Mexico.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1381-8648
Rémi GauInria, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Palaiseau, France.
Daniel R GlenScientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Rainer GoebelDepartment of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1780-2467
Javier Gonzalez-CastilloSection on Functional Imaging Methods, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6520-5125
Omer Faruk GulbanDepartment of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7761-3727
Yaroslav HalchenkoDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA.
Daniel A HandwerkerSection on Functional Imaging Methods, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7261-4042
Taylor HanayikOxford University Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Peter D LaurenScientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
David A LeopoldSystems Neurodevelopment Laboratory, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1345-6360
Jason P LerchOxford Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Christian MathysInstitute of Radiology and Neuroradiology, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Oldenburg, Universitätsmedizin Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5245-4958
Paul McCarthyOxford University Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Anke McLeodDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3534-4738
Amanda F MejiaDepartment of Statistics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4312-8974
Stefano MoiaDepartment of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2553-3327
Thomas E NicholsOxford University Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4516-5103
Cyril PernetNeurobiology Research Unit, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Luiz PessoaDepartment of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
Bettina PfleidererClinic of Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1238-6225
Justin K RajendraScientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Jalil Rasgado-ToledoDepartment of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurobiology, Institute of Neurobiology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México campus Juriquilla, Querétaro, Mexico.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5216-7177
Laura D ReyesLaboratory of Quantitative Medical Imaging, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0404-1817
Richard C ReynoldsScientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Vinai RoopchansinghFunctional MRI Core Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3013-7895
Chris RordenMcCausland Center for Brain Imaging, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
Brian E RussCenter for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0320-1257
Benedikt SundermannInstitute of Radiology and Neuroradiology, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Oldenburg, Universitätsmedizin Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
Bertrand ThirionInria, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Palaiseau, France.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5018-7895
Salvatore TorrisiDepartment of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Gang ChenScientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2960-089X

Funding

Functional MRI Core FacilityZICMH002884 · NIMH · NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH · PI BANDETTINI, PETER · 2009 to 2025
$85.5M
Glutamatergic Modulators for Rapid & Sustained Antidepressant EffectZIAMH002857 · NIMH · NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH · PI ZARATE, CARLOS · 2009 to 2025
$55.0M
VULNERABILITY AND RESILIENCY IN THE AGING ADULT BRAIN CONNECTOME (AABC)U19AG073585 · NIA · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI DAVID H SALAT · 2021 to 2026
$41.3M
Functional MRI Method DevelopmentZIAMH002783 · NIMH · NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH · PI BANDETTINI, PETER · 2009 to 2025
$38.4M
Scientific and Statistical Computing CoreZICMH002888 · NIMH · NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH · PI TAYLOR, PAUL · 2009 to 2025
$30.9M
Neurophysiology Imaging Facility Core: Functional and Structural MRIZICMH002899 · NIMH · NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH · PI LEOPOLD, DAVID A · 2009 to 2025
$29.1M
Project 5: ComputationalP50MH109429 · NIMH · NATHAN S. KLINE INSTITUTE FOR PSYCH RES · PI Robert Thomas Knight · 2017 to 2026
$25.3M
Telerehab for Aphasia (TERRA)P50DC014664 · NIDCD · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT COLUMBIA · PI FRIDRIKSSON, JULIUS · 2016 to 2025
$25.0M
Resource DiscoveryP41EB019936 · NIBIB · UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER · PI David Nelson Kennedy · 2016 to 2026
$15.2M
INTERACTION OF EMOTIONAL PERCEPTION AND VISUAL ATTENTIONR01MH071589 · NIMH · UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK · PI PESSOA, LUIZ · 2004 to 2024
$8.9M
Large-scale meta-analysis of functional MRI dataR01MH096906 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI Alejandro De La Vega · 2012 to 2026
$7.9M
Defining Neuronal Circuits and Cellular Processes Underlying Resting fMRI SignalsR01MH111439 · NIMH · NATHAN S. KLINE INSTITUTE FOR PSYCH RES · PI MILHAM, MICHAEL PETER, SCHROEDER, CHARLES E · 2016 to 2020
$5.1M
EC | Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020) HORIZON-INFRA-2022-SERV-B-01Intramural NIH HHS ZIA EB000088Intramural NIH HHS ZIA MH002783Intramural NIH HHS ZIA MH002857Intramural NIH HHS ZIC MH002884Intramural NIH HHS ZIC MH002888Intramural NIH HHS ZIC MH002899NIA NIH HHS R01 AG083919NIA NIH HHS U19 AG073585NIBIB NIH HHS P41 EB019936NIBIB NIH HHS R01 EB026859NICHD NIH HHS R03 HD113915NICHD NIH HHS R21 HD108587NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA048993NIDCD NIH HHS P50 DC014664NIMH NIH HHS P50 MH109429NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH071589NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH096906NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH111439NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH123610NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH124045NIMH NIH HHS RF1 MH117040NIMH NIH HHS RF1 MH133701NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS109498Novo Nordisk NNF20OC0063277U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) R03HD113915U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) P41EB019936U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) ZIA EB000088U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) 1ZICMH002899U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) R01MH071589U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) R01MH096906U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) R01MH111439U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) R01MH123610U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) ZIAMH002783U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) ZIAMH002857U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) ZICMH002884U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) ZICMH002888U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) P50-DC014664Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust (Wellcome) 203139/Z/16/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Visualizations are vital for communicating scientific results. Historically, brain images in neuroscience figures have only depicted regions that surpass a given statistical threshold. This practice substantially biases interpretation of the results and subsequent meta-analyses, particularly toward non-reproducibility. We advocate for 'transparent thresholding' that not only highlights statistically significant regions but also includes subthreshold locations, retaining key experimental context. This balances the dual needs of distilling modeling results and enabling informed interpretations of neuroimaging results. Transparent thresholding removes ambiguity, decreases hypersensitivity to nonphysiological features, helps catch potential artifacts, improves cross-study comparisons, reduces non-reproducibility biases and clarifies interpretations. We address considerations raised by researchers in the field and highlight the many software packages implementing transparent thresholding, several of which were added or streamlined as part of this work. We hope that by showing how transparent thresholding can meaningfully improve the interpretation (and reproducibility) of neuroimaging findings, we will encourage more researchers to adopt this method.

Identifiers

PMID42675118
PMCPMC13537210

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.