Box-Counting Method in Quantitative Analysis of Images of the Brain

The introduction of fractal geometry in the neurosciences has been a major paradigm shift over the last decades as it has helped overcome approximations and limitations that occur when reductionist approaches are used to analyze neurons or the entire brain. Fractal geometry allows for quantitative analysis and description of the geometric complexity of the brain, particularly fractal analysis provides a quantitative tool for the study of morphology of brain cells and the brain structure itself. The box-counting method of fractal analysis, its modification are presented on 2D image of neurons from the monkey brain. The use of MATLAB software, particularly when the 2D or 3D image of the brain have to be quantified with box-counting procedure is also presented. This paper offers a link between the applications of fractal analysis to the neuroanatomy and basic neurosciences with the clinical applications.