I am a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry where I lead the Systems Neuroscience Lab—an interdisciplinary team at the intersection of psychiatry, neuroscience, and applied mathematics.
Our research integrates computational modelling, large-scale data analysis, and systems thinking to uncover the biological principles underlying brain organization, function, and dysfunction. We are particularly interested in the mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders, investigating how they arise and manifest across scales—from genes and cells to brain networks and behaviour.
Alongside human studies, we explore simpler model organisms such as C. elegans, as well as cerebral organoids, which serve as testbeds for methodological innovation and provide insights into fundamental aspects of brain organization, development, network dysfunction, and repair.
Our goal is to develop a deeper, mechanistic understanding of the brain—one that can ultimately inform novel approaches to diagnosing and treating psychiatric and neurological disorders.
Research Group: Systems Neuroscience Lab
Publications
R Dear, K Wagstyl, J Seidlitz, RD Markello, A Arnatkevičiūtė, KM Anderson, RAI Bethlehem, Lifespan Brain Chart Consortium, A Raznahan, ET Bullmore, PE Vértes. 'Cortical gene expression architecture links healthy neurodevelopment to the imaging, transcriptomics and genetics of autism and schizophrenia.' Nat Neurosci http://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-024-01624-4
L Ripoll-Sánchez, J Watteyne, H Sun, R Fernandez, SR Taylor, A Weinreb, M Hammarlund, DM Miller, O Hobert, I Beets, PE Vértes*, WR Schafer*. 'The neuropeptidergic connectome of C. elegans.' Neuron https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(23)00756-0?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0896627323007560%3Fshowall%3Dtrue
L Dorfschmidt, RA Bethlehem, J Seidlitz, F Váša, SR White, R Romero-García, MG Kitzbichler, AR Aruldass, SE Morgan, IM Goodyer, P Fonagy, PB Jones, RJ Dolan, NSPN Consortium, NA Harrison, PE Vértes*, ET Bullmore*. 'Sexually divergent development of depression-related brain networks during healthy human adolescence.' Science Advances http://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abm7825
SE Morgan, J Seidlitz, KJ Whitaker, R Romero-Garcia, NE Clifton, C Scarpazza, T van Amelsvoort, M Marcelis, J van Os, G Donohoe, D Mothersill, A Corvin, A Pocklington, A Raznahan, P McGuire, PE Vértes*, ET Bullmore*. 'Cortical patterning of abnormal morphometric similarity in psychosis is associated with brain expression of schizophrenia-related genes.' Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1820754116
G Yan*, PE Vértes*, EK Towlson*, YL Chew, DS Walker, WR Schafer, A-L Barabási. 'Network control principles predict neuron function in the Caenorhabditis elegans connectome.' Nature http://doi.org/10.1038/nature24056
PE Vértes, AF Alexander-Bloch, N Gogtay, JN Giedd, JL Rapoport, ET Bullmore. 'Simple models of human brain functional networks.' PNAS http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1111738109
Three transcriptional axes underpin anatomy, development, and disorders of the human cortex
Dear R, Seidlitz J, Markello RD, Arnatkeviciute A, ..., and Vértes PE
Nature Neuroscience (2024)
A bimodal taxonomy of adult human brain sulcal morphology related to timing of fetal sulcation and trans-sulcal gene expression gradients
Snyder WE, Vértes PE, Kyriakopoulou V, Wagstyl K, Williams LZJ, Moraczewski D, ..., and Bullmore ET
Neuron (2024)
Connectome-based reservoir computing with the conn2res toolbox
Suárez LE, Mihalik A, Milisav F, Marshall K, Li M, Vértes PE, Lajoie G, Misic B
Nature Communications (2024)
Childhood maltreatment influences adult brain structure through its effects on immune, metabolic, and psychosocial factors
Orellana SC, Bethlehem RAI, Simpson-Kent IL, van Harmelen AL*, Vértes PE*, Bullmore ET*
PNAS (2024)
The neuropeptidergic connectome of C. elegans
Ripoll Sanchez L, Watteyne J, Sun H, Fernandez R, ..., Vértes PE* and Schafer WR*
Neuron (2023)
Molecular and network-level mechanisms explaining individual differences in autism spectrum disorder
Buch A, Vértes PE, Seidlitz J, Kim SH, Grosenick L and Liston C
Nature Neuroscience (2023)
System-wide mapping of peptide-GPCR interactions in C. elegans
Beets I, ..., Vértes PE, Mirabeau O, Schoofs L
Cell Reports (2023)
Transcriptional cartography integrates multiscale biology of the human cortex
Wagstyl K, Adler S, Seidlitz J, Vandekar S, Mallard TT, ..., Vértes PE, ..., and Raznahan A
eLife (2023)
Early adversity changes the economic conditions of structural brain network organisation
Carozza S, Holmes J, Vértes PE, Bullmore ET, Arefin T, ..., and Astle D
Developmental Psychobiology (2023)
Semantic speech networks linked to formal thought disorder in early psychosis
Nettekoven C, Diederen K, ..., Vértes PE, ..., Morgan SE* and McGuire P*
Schizophrenia Bulletin (2023)
Regional gene expression signatures are associated with sex-specific functional connectivity changes in depression
Talishinsky A, Downar J, RAI, Vértes PE, ..., Liston C
Nature Communications (2022)
Sexually divergent adolescent brain network development is co-located with imaging and transcriptomic phenotypes of depression
Dorfschmidt L, Bethlehem RAI, Vása F, Romero-Garcia R, ..., Vértes PE* and Bullmore ET*
Science Advances (2022)
Brain charts for the human lifespan
Bethlehem RAI, Seidlitz J, White SR, Vogel JW, Anderson KM, ... Vértes PE, ..., and Alexander-Bloch AF
Nature (2022)
Multi-centre Epilepsy Lesion Detection (MELD) Project: Predictors of lesion location and postsurgical seizure freedom in focal cortical dysplasia
Wagstyl K, Whitaker KJ, Raznahan A, Seidlitz J, Vértes PE, ..., and Adler S
Epilepsia (2022)
A generative network model of neurodevelopmental diversity in structural brain organization
Akarca D, Vértes PE, Bullmore ET and Astle D
Nature Communications (2021)
Natural Language Processing markers in first episode psychosis and people at clinical high-risk
Morgan SE, Diederen K, Vértes PE, ..., and McGuire P
Translational Psychiatry (2021)
Dysconnectivity of a brain functional network was associated with blood inflammatory markers in depression
Aruldass AR, Kitzbichler M, Morgan SE, Lynall M-E, Turner L, Vértes PE, ..., and Bullmore ET
Brain, Behavior, and Immunity (2021)
Conservative and disruptive modes of adolescent change in human brain functional connectivity
Vása F, Romero-Garcia R, Kitzbichler MG, Seiflitz J, ..., Vértes PE* and Bullmore ET*
PNAS (2020)
Schizotypy-related magnetization of cortex in healthy adolescence is colocated with expression of schizophrenia-related genes
Romero-Garcia, Seidlitz J, Whitaker KJ, ..., Vértes PE* and Bullmore ET*
Biological Psychiatry (2020)
Transcriptomic and cellular decoding of regional brain vulnerability to neurodevelopmental disorders
Seidlitz J, Nadig A, Liu S, Bethlehem RAI, Vértes PE, ..., and Raznahan A
Nature Communications (2020)
Compulsivity is linked to reduced adolescent development of goal-directed control and frontostriatal functional connectivity
Vaghi M, Moutoussis M, Vása F, Kievit RA, Hauser TU, Vértes PE, ..., and Dolan RJ, and NSPN Consortium
PNAS (2020)
Major depressive disorder is associated with differential expression of innate immune and neutrophil-related gene networks in peripheral blood: A quantitative review of whole genome transcriptional data from case-control studies
Wittenberg GM, Greene J, Vértes PE, Drevets WC and Bullmore ET
Biological Psychiatry (2020)
Multi-subject stochastic blockmodels for adaptive analysis of individual differences in human brain network cluster structure
Pavlovic DM, Guillaume BRL, Towlson EK, ..., Vértes PE, ..., and Nichols T
NeuroImage (2020)
Reinforcement learning as an intermediate phenotype in psychosis? Deficits sensitive to illness stage but not associated with polygenic risk of schizophrenia in the general population
Montagnese M, Knolle F, Haarsma J, ..., Vértes PE, ..., Murray GK and NSPN Consortium
Schizophrenia Research (2020)
Using fMRI connectivity to define a treatment-resistant form of post-traumatic stress disorder
Etkin A*, Fonzo G*, Wu W*, Huemer J*, Patenaude B*, Vértes PE*, ..., and O'Hara R
Science Translational Medicine (2019)
Cortical patterning of abnormal morphometric similarity in psychosis is associated with brain expression of schizophrenia-related genes
Morgan SE, Seidlitz J, Whitaker KJ, ..., Vértes PE* and Bullmore ET*
PNAS (2019)
Brain networks reveal the effects of antipsychotic drugs on schizophrenia patients and controls
Towlson EK, Vértes PE, Muller U and Ahnert SE
Frontiers in Psychiatry (2019)
Brain-behaviour modes of covariation in healthy and clinically depressed young people
Mihalik A, Ferreira FS, Rosa MJ, Moutoussis M, Ziegler G, ..., Vértes PE, ..., and Mourao-Miranda J
Scientific Reports (2019)
A moment of change: shifts in myeloarchitecture characterise adolescent development of cortical gradients
Paquola C, Bethlehem RAI, Seidlitz J, Wagstyl K, ..., Vértes PE, ..., Bullmore ET and NSPN Consortium
eLife (2019)
Waves of maturation and senescence in micro-structural MRI markers of human cortical myelination over the lifespan
Grydeland H, Vértes PE, Vása F, Romero-Garcia R, Whitaker KJ, ..., and Bullmore ET
Cerebral Cortex (2019)
Multimodal imaging of brain connectivity reveals predictors of individual strategy in statistical learning
Karlaftis VM, Giorgio J, Vértes PE, Wang R, Shend Y, Tino P, Welchman A and Kourtzi Z
Nature Human Behaviour (2019)
Caenorhabditis elegans and the network control framework-FAQs
Towlson EK, Vértes PE, Yan G, Chew YL, Walker DS, Schafer WR and Barabasi A-L
Philosophical Transactions B (2018)
Structural covariance networks are coupled to expression of genes enriched in supragranular layers of the human cortex
Romero-Garcia R, Whitaker KJ, Vása F, Rubinov M, Steidlitz J, Shinn M, Fonagy P, Dolan RJ, Jones PB, Goodyear IM, the NSPN Consortium, Vértes PE* and Bullmore ET*
NeuroImage (2018)
Replicable and coupled changes in innate and adaptive immune gene expression in two case-control studies of blood microarrays in major depressive disorder
Leday G*, Vértes PE*, Richardson S, Greene JR, Khan S, Henderson R, Freeman TC, Regan T, Pariante CM, Harrison NA, MRC Immunopsychiatry Consortium, Perry HV, Drevets WC, Wittenberg GM and Bullmore ET
Biological Psychiatry (2018)
Morphometric similarity networks detect microscale cortical organisation and predict inter-individual cognitive variation
Seidlitz J, Vása F, Shinn M, Romero-Garcia R, Whitaker KJ, Vértes PE, ..., Bullmore ET and the NSPN Consortium
Neuron (2018)
Low dimensional morphospace of topological motifs in human fMRI brain networks
Morgan S, Achard S, Termenon M, Bullmore ET and Vértes PE
Network Neuroscience (2018)
Network control principles predict neuron function in the Caenorhabditis elegans connectome
Yan G*, Vértes PE*, Towlson EK*, Chew YL, Walker DS, Schafer WR and Barabasi A-L
Nature (2017)
Recordings of Caenorhabditis elegans locomotor behaviour following targeted ablation of single motorneurons
Chew YL, Walker DS, Towlson EK, Vértes PE, Yan G, Barabasi A-L and Schafer WR
Scientific Data (2017)
Adolescent tuning of association cortex in human structural brain networks
Vása F, Seidlitz J, Romero-Garcia R, Whitaker KJ, Rosenthal G, Vértes PE, ..., Bullmore ET and the NSPN Consortium
Cerebral Cortex (2017)
Versatility of nodal affiliation to communities
Shinn M, Romero-Garcia R, Seidlitz J, Vása F, Vértes PE and Bullmore ET
Scientific Reports (2017)
Specific fronto-striatal circuits for impaired cognitive flexibility and goal-directed planning in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Evidence from resting-state functional connectivity
Vaghi M, Vértes PE, Kitzbichler MG, Apergis-Schoute AM, van der Flier FE, Fineberg NA, Sule A, Zaman R, Voon V, Kundu P, Bullmore ET and Robbins TW
Biological Psychiatry (2017)
Adolescence is associated with transcriptionally patterned consolidation of the hubs of the human brain connectome
Whitaker KJ*, Vértes PE*, Romero-Garcia R, Vá ̆sa F, Moutoussis M, Prabhu G, Weiskopf N, Callaghan MF, Wagstyl KS, Rittman T, Tait R, Ooi C, Suckling J, Inkster B, Fonagy P, Dolan RJ, Jones PB, Goodyer IM, the NSPN Consortium and Bullmore ET
PNAS (2016)
Gene transcription profiles associated with intra-modular and inter-modular hubs in human fMRI networks
Vértes PE, Rittman T, Whitaker KJ, Romero-Garcia R, Vása F, Kitzbichler MG, Fonagy P, Dolan RJ, Jones PB, Goodyer IM, the NSPN Consortium and Bullmore ET
Philosophical Transactions B (2016)
The multilayer connectome of Caenorhabditis elegans
Bentley B, Branicky R, Barnes CL, Chew YL, Yemini E, Bullmore ET, Vértes PE* and Schafer WR*
PLoS Computational Biology (2016)
Peripheral immune cell populations associated with cognitive deficits and negative symptoms of chronic schizophrenia
Fernandez-Egea E*, Vértes PE*, Flint SM*, Turner L, Mustafa S, Hatton A, Smith K, Lyons PA, Bulllmore ET
PLoS ONE (2016)
Regional expression of the MAPT gene predicts loss of functional hub connections and cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
RittmanT, Rubinov M, Vértes PE, Patel AX, Ghosh BCP, Barker RA, Spillantini MG, Bullmore ET and Rowe JB
Neurobiology of Ageing (2016)
Generative models of the human connectome
Betzel RF, Avena-Koenigsberger A, Goñi J, He Y, de Reus MA, Griffa A, Vértes PE, Misic B, Thiran J-P, Hagmann P, van den Heuvel M, Zuo X-N, Bullmore ET, Sporns O
NeuroImage (2015)
Large-scale functional brain network reorganization during Taoist meditation
Jao T, Lee C-W, Vértes PE, Wu C, Liou C-H, Chen J-H and Bullmore ET
Brain Connectivity (2015)
Generative models of rich clubs in Hebbian neuronal networks and large-scale human brain networks
Vértes PE, Alexander-Bloch A and Bullmore ET
Philosophical Transactions B (2014)
A unifying framework for measuring weighte rich clubs
Alstott J, Panzarasa P, Rubinov M, Bullmore ET and Vértes PE
Scientific Reports (2014)
A wavelet method for modeling and despiking motion artifacts from resting-state fMRI time series
Patel AX, Kundu P, Rubinov M, Jones S, Vértes PE, Ersche KD, Suckling J and Bullmore ET
NeuroImage (2014)
Stochastic blockmodeling of the modules and core of the Caenorhabditis elegans connectome
Pavlovic DM, Vértes PE, Bullmore ET, Schafer WR, Nichols TE
PLoS ONE (2014)
Phase transition in the economically modeled growth of a cellular nervous system
Nicosia V*, Vértes PE*, Schafer WR, Latora V, Bullmore ET
PNAS (2013)
Integrated strategy for improving functional connectivity mapping using multiecho fMRI
Kundu P, Brenowitz N, Voon V, Roopcharansigh V, Worbe Y, Vértes PE, Saad Z, Inati S, Bullmore ET and Bandettini P
PNAS (2013)
Cognitive relevance of the community structure of the human brain functional coactivation network
Crossley NA, Mechelli A, Vértes PE, Winton-Brown TT, Patel AX, Ginestet CE, McGuire P and Bullmore ET
PNAS (2013)
The rich club of the C. elegans neuronal connectome
Towlson EK, Vértes PE, Schafer WR, Ahnert S and Bullmore ET
The Journal of Neuroscience (2013)
Volitional eye-opening perturbs brain dynamics and functional connectivity regardless of visual input
Jao T, Vértes PE, Alexander-Bloch A, Tang I-N, Yu Y-C, Chen J-H and Bullmore ET
NeuroImage (2013)
Simple models of human brain functional networks
Vértes PE, Alexander-Bloch A, Gogtay N, Giedd J, Rapoport J, and Bullmore ET
PNAS (2012)
Hubs of brain functional networks are radically reorganized in comatose patients
Achard S, Delon-Martin C, Vértes PE, Renard F, Schenck M, Namer JI, Mutschler V, Froehlig P, Schneider F, Kremer S and Bullmore ET
PNAS (2012)
The anatomical distance of functional connections predicts brain network topology in health and schizophrenia
Alexander-Bloch A, Vértes PE, Stidd R, Lalonde F, Clasen L, Rapoport J, Giedd J, Bullmore ET, Gogtay N
Cerebral Cortex (2012)
GluA1 phosphorylation alters evoked firing pattern in vivo
Barkóczi B, Juhász G, Averkin R, Vörös I, Vértes PE, Penke B, Szegedi V
Neural Plasticity (2012)
Topological isomorphisms of human brain and financial market networks
Vértes PE, Nicol R, Chapman S, Watkins N, Robertson D and Bullmore ET
Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience (2011)
Fast reconfiguration of high frequency brain networks in response to acoustically deviant tones
Nicol R, Chapman S, Vértes PE, Nathan P, Smith ML, Bullmore ET
Journal of Neurophysiology (2011)
Effect of network topology on temporal encoding in networks of spiking neurons
Vértes PE, Duke T
HFSP Journal (2010)
