Recently devised in vivo ultra-high-field (UHF) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has begun to directly reveal laminar-specific brain activity in the human brain. In this project, we focus on developing the new laminar fMRI method and applying it to understanding human cognition from a laminar neuroimaging perspective. Understanding cortical layers will open a new window in elucidating the basis of severe mental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, as specific impairments accompany these disorders in laminar-specific circuitry in the brain.