Divergent Transcription in the BDNF Locus: Two Novel Genes That May Rewrite Our Understanding of BDNF Regulation and Schizophrenia Risk
Discover the groundbreaking insights from the Lieber Institute's new spatiomolecular atlas of the human nucleus accumbens (NAc). This pioneering research integrates single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, revealing the intricate cellular diversity and spatial organization of the NAc, a key player in reward neuroscience. With findings that bridge the gap between rodent and human data, this atlas not only enhances our understanding of psychiatric disorders but also opens new avenues for therapeutic development. Dive into the details of this transformative study and explore how it reshapes our approach to neuroscience and addiction research.
A Spatiomolecular Atlas of the Human Nucleus Accumbens (NAc)
Discover the groundbreaking insights from the Lieber Institute's new spatiomolecular atlas of the human nucleus accumbens (NAc). This pioneering research integrates single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, revealing the intricate cellular diversity and spatial organization of the NAc, a key player in reward neuroscience. With findings that bridge the gap between rodent and human data, this atlas not only enhances our understanding of psychiatric disorders but also opens new avenues for therapeutic development. Dive into the details of this transformative study and explore how it reshapes our approach to neuroscience and addiction research.
How Coexpression Networks Reveal the Trans-Regulatory Architecture of Schizophrenia Risk
A new study from the Lieber Institute for Brain Development, led by Rossi, Pergola, and colleagues, fundamentally challenges this cis-centric paradigm. By developing coexpression-informed frameworks that explicitly model trans-regulatory effects, the research team has identified 766 genes associated with schizophrenia in the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium wave 3 (PGC3) dataset, with 641 representing novel associations not captured by conventional TWAS approaches. This work demonstrates that incorporating distal regulatory mechanisms substantially expands our ability to map genetically regulated expression to disease risk.
A New Molecular Map of a Brain Region Central to Cognitive Control and Emotion
The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is a region of the brain that helps us focus attention, regulate emotions, respond to pain, and adapt to changing situations. Scientists have known this region is important for decades, but they haven't had a detailed map of the different cells that make it up or how those cells are organized.