The CoMMaND Lab has been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to investigate the role of axonal tension in the development of cortical folds in the human brain. Cortical folding is a critical process that influences brain connectivity and function, with implications for understanding neurological disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder. Despite the significance of this process, the mechanical contributions of axonal tension have been underexplored. While evidence suggests that axonal tension is not the sole driving force behind cortical folding, we believe that it could act as a perturbation, alongside local changes in cortical thickness, curvature, growth, or stiffness, in a way that helps determine the placement of cortical folds. With this funding, our lab aims to rigorously evaluate the axonal tension hypothesis using advanced computational models that incorporate realistic axon orientations and densities.