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Scientists from 50+ institutions have released the first comprehensive, multi-species atlas of basal ganglia cell types, covering humans, macaques, marmosets, and mice. Published across 28 papers in Cell and Cell Press journals, the atlas maps the brain structures tied to movement, decision-making, and habit formation. It could open new doors for understanding and treating diseases like Parkinson's, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, and addiction.
Scientists from more than 50 institutions have unveiled the first-ever comprehensive, multi-species atlas of basal ganglia cell types — a landmark achievement published across 28 papers in Cell and other Cell Press journals as part of the NIH's BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN). The basal ganglia, a cluster of brain structures central to movement, decision-making, and habit formation, has long been implicated in conditions ranging from Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia to addiction and autism.
The atlas draws on data from humans, macaques, marmosets, and mice, and is housed in the NeMO Archive (Neuroscience Multi-Omic Archive) — an open-access platform containing genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, and spatial transcriptomic data from over 50 million brain cells. The goal: make this treasure trove of brain data freely accessible to researchers worldwide.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: By mapping the cellular landscape of the basal ganglia at unprecedented resolution, this atlas gives researchers a shared foundation to decode the biology behind some of the most complex and treatment-resistant brain disorders — potentially accelerating the path to new therapies.
