MIT creates new brain “atlas” that could help researchers develop better treatments

MIT researchers have created a detailed new map of a part of the brain involved in movement, decision-making, habits, reward and addiction, work that could eventually help scientists develop more targeted treatments for several neurological and psychiatric conditions.

The research focuses on the striatum, a region deep inside the brain that is affected by disorders including Huntington’s disease and schizophrenia and also plays an important role in addiction and depression.

Using donated human brain tissue and advanced genetic testing, researchers identified 31 different groups of neurons within the striatum based on which genes those cells use.

That matters because different groups of brain cells appear to be affected differently by disease and medication.

For example, researchers identified certain neurons that were strongly linked to genes involved in opioid addiction, while another group responded to genes associated with antidepressants. They also found cells affected by the antipsychotic drug clozapine, which could potentially help scientists someday design treatments that target the helpful effects of the medication while avoiding some of its serious side effects.

The study also provided new clues about why some brain cells are particularly vulnerable to Huntington’s disease, while others seem more resistant.

Researchers stress that the atlas itself is not a new treatment. Instead, they describe it as a roadmap that scientists can now use to better understand these diseases and potentially develop more precise medications in the future.

The study was published Sept.1 in the journal Cell.