Neurosynth Backend

A lightweight Flask backend that exposes functional dissociation endpoints on top of a Neurosynth-backed PostgreSQL database.

The service provides two APIs that return studies mentioning one concept/coordinate but not the other (A \ B). You can also query the opposite direction (B \ A).

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Table of Contents

• Endpoints
  • Dissociate by terms
  • Dissociate by MNI coordinates
• Quick Start
  • 1) Provision PostgreSQL
  • 2) Verify the connection
  • 3) Populate the database
  • 4) Run the Flask service
  • 5) Smoke tests
• Environment Variables
• Example Requests
• Requirements
• Notes
• License

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Endpoints

Dissociate by terms

GET /dissociate/terms/<term_a>/<term_b>

Returns studies that mention term_a but not term_b.

Examples

/dissociate/terms/posterior cingulate/ventromedial prefrontal
/dissociate/terms/ventromedial prefrontal/posterior cingulate

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Dissociate by MNI coordinates

GET /dissociate/locations/<x1_y1_z1>/<x2_y2_z2>

Coordinates are passed as x_y_z (underscores, not commas).
Returns studies that mention [x1, y1, z1] but not [x2, y2, z2].

Default Mode Network test case

/dissociate/locations/0_-52_26/-2_50_-6
/dissociate/locations/-2_50_-6/0_-52_26

Tip: You may design a single endpoint that returns both directions in one response (A–B and B–A) if that better suits your client.

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Quick Start

1) Provision PostgreSQL

Create a PostgreSQL database (e.g., on Render).

2) Verify the connection

python check_db.py --url "postgresql://<USER>:<PASSWORD>@<HOST>:5432/<DBNAME>"

3) Populate the database

python create_db.py --url "postgresql://<USER>:<PASSWORD>@<HOST>:5432/<DBNAME>"

4) Run the Flask service

Deploy app.py as a Web Service (e.g., on Render) and set the environment variable:

• DB_URL=postgresql://<USER>:<PASSWORD>@<HOST>:5432/<DBNAME>

Use a production server such as Gunicorn as your start command:

gunicorn app:app --bind 0.0.0.0:$PORT

5) Smoke tests

After deployment, check the basic endpoints:

• Images: https://<your-app>.onrender.com/img
• DB connectivity: https://<your-app>.onrender.com/test_db

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Environment Variables

• DB_URL – Full PostgreSQL connection string used by the app.
  Example: postgresql://<USER>:<PASSWORD>@<HOST>:5432/<DBNAME>

Security note: Never commit real credentials to version control. Use environment variables or your hosting provider’s secret manager.

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Example Requests

By terms

curl https://<your-app>.onrender.com/dissociate/terms/posterior cingulate/ventromedial prefrontal
curl https://<your-app>.onrender.com/dissociate/terms/ventromedial prefrontal/posterior cingulate

By coordinates

curl https://<your-app>.onrender.com/dissociate/locations/0_-52_26/-2_50_-6
curl https://<your-app>.onrender.com/dissociate/locations/-2_50_-6/0_-52_26

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Requirements

• Python 3.10+
• PostgreSQL 12+
• Python dependencies (typical):
  • Flask
  • SQLAlchemy
  • PostgreSQL driver (e.g., psycopg2-binary)
  • Production WSGI server (e.g., gunicorn)

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Notes

• Path parameters use underscores (_) between coordinates: x_y_z.
• Term strings should be URL-safe (e.g., posterior cingulate, ventromedial prefrontal). Replace spaces with underscores on the client if needed.
• The term/coordinate pairs above illustrate a Default Mode Network dissociation example. Adjust for your analysis.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.