STAT+: Scientists debut map of basal ganglia, a key brain region involved in an array of diseases

A massive scientific collaboration profiled more than 25 million cells in the basal ganglia to create the most detailed map yet of this brain region, discovering a new type of neuron involved in schizophrenia and identifying cell types linked to depression, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. Researchers demonstrated that targeting gene therapy to specific basal ganglia cell subsets in Parkinson's disease models was as effective as blanket approaches but safer.

Demonstrated in mouse models of Parkinson's disease. Human trials will be needed to confirm whether these insights translate to clinical treatments.