Editorial Policy
How NeuroMap articles are researched, sourced, updated, and corrected.
Who Writes NeuroMap
NeuroMap is written and maintained by Stuart Mathieson, an independent web developer in Scotland with an interest in all things science. Stuart is not a healthcare professional, and NeuroMap articles have not been reviewed by a clinician. The site is an educational resource about how the brain works, not a medical service.
How Articles Are Researched
- Reliable sources first. Articles are based on peer-reviewed research, textbooks, and health agencies such as the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the NHS, and the World Health Organization. Every article lists its sources at the end.
- Original studies are cited directly. When an article describes a specific study or case - such as patient H.M. or the London taxi-driver study - it links to the original paper rather than a summary of it.
- Citations are checked. Links to research papers use their permanent DOI identifiers, and each one is checked to make sure it points to the paper being described.
- Uncertainty is stated plainly. Neuroscience moves quickly and many questions are still open. Where scientists disagree, or a finding rests on a few patients, the article says so.
- Plain language. Technical terms are explained in the text or linked to the glossary.
Health Information
Condition pages explain which brain regions are involved and why symptoms happen. They don't diagnose, recommend specific treatments, or replace advice from a qualified professional. Pages about conditions where urgent help may be needed - such as stroke, head injury, and mental health crises - include clear safety information. If you have a health concern, please speak with a healthcare professional; in an emergency, contact your local emergency services.
Until NeuroMap's articles have been reviewed by a qualified healthcare professional, every page carries a notice saying so. The information is provided in good faith and to the best of our knowledge, but it is in no way a substitute for professional medical advice.
Updates
Each article shows the date it was last updated. A page's date changes when its content changes in a meaningful way - for example, when information is corrected, sections are added, or sources are replaced. The date doesn't mean every linked source was re-checked on that day.
Advertising & Independence
NeuroMap may display advertising through Google AdSense to cover running costs. Advertisers have no influence over what is written, and ads are kept separate from article content. NeuroMap doesn't publish sponsored articles or use affiliate links. See the Privacy Policy for how advertising cookies work.
Reporting an Error
If you spot something wrong or out of date, please get in touch, ideally with a link to a reliable source. Every report is read. Confirmed errors are corrected, the page's date is updated, and significant corrections are listed below.
Corrections Log
Significant corrections are listed here, newest first. Minor fixes such as typos aren't listed.
- · Interactive brain explorer
- Replaced the schematic diagram, which showed brain regions in incorrect positions, with anatomical side and midline views of the brain.
- · Amygdala
- The 'Did you know?' fact overstated the evidence. It now makes clear that the finding comes from rare patients with damage on both sides of the brain, and the article notes a 2013 study in which these patients did feel fear in some situations.
- · Brain Stem
- Removed the description of the brain stem as the 'reptilian brain' from the summary fact. The 'triune brain' model behind that phrase is outdated, as the article itself explains.
- · Hippocampus
- Corrected the description of patient H.M.'s surgery, which removed much of both hippocampi and nearby tissue rather than both hippocampi entirely, and left him largely (not completely) unable to form new memories. The same correction was made on the Amnesia page.
- · Hippocampus
- The citation for the London taxi-driver study (Maguire et al., 2000) linked to an unrelated paper. It now links to the correct study.
- · Corpus Callosum and Split-Brain Syndrome
- The citation for 'Forty-five years of split-brain research and still going strong' (Gazzaniga, 2005) linked to an unrelated paper on both pages. Both now link to the correct paper.
- · Temporal Lobe
- Clarified that the memory-like experiences Wilder Penfield triggered by stimulating the temporal lobe were rare - reported by about 40 of 520 patients - and that whether they were genuine memories is debated.
- · Insula
- Clarified that the finding on recognising disgust came from a single patient whose damage also extended into the basal ganglia, rather than from patients with insula damage in general.
- · Frontal Lobe
- Added evidence that Phineas Gage substantially recovered in later life, to balance the account of his personality change.
- · ADHD, Anxiety Disorders, Schizophrenia, and Traumatic Brain Injury
- Updated the lists of involved brain regions to match the research each article cites (for example, adding the basal ganglia to ADHD and schizophrenia).