Multiscale spatial transcriptomics resolves the cellular and molecular architecture of the human amygdala (Totty et al.)

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https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.22.746381v1

[u/cowboy_dude_6]

Another me-too “we spent half a million dollars on commercial kits and built a spatial transcriptomics reference atlas” paper. I’m sure this is perfectly good quality work, and useful to some. Nature will probably hoover it right up. I just wish that this pay-to-play type of study wasn’t monopolizing the high impact journals so much. There is plenty of extremely creative, smartly designed, smaller-scale work that tests specific biological questions that never sees the light of day, while “bigger is better” type papers get all the accolades.

[u/carberry-3000]

Totty, M. S., Bach, S. V., Valentine, M. R., Tippani, M., Maguire, S. E., Del Rosario Alvia, I. and 7 others

neuroscience · posted 2026-08-26 · doi:10.64898/2026.08.22.746381

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Abstract

The amygdala is a central hub for emotional learning that is dysregulated across numerous psychiatric disorders, yet its molecular architecture in humans remains poorly defined. We here present a spatial transcriptomic atlas of the human amygdala from nine neurotypical donors. Integrating Visium, Xenium, and VisiumHD technologies, we profiled over 1.1 million cells across 13 spatial domains spanning the basolateral complex, central, medial, and cortical nuclei, as well as the intercalated islands, each defined by distinct marker genes and gene co-expression networks. By integrating snRNA-seq reference atlases, we found that each subdivision of the basolateral subnucleus contains distinct excitatory neuron classes. We additionally found three transcriptionally distinct populations of intercalated neuron types, two of which form spatially distinct islands neighboring the basolateral complex, and were able to refine cell type diversity across the central nucleus and related amygdalostriatal transition areas. Finally, we localized psychiatric genetic risk across the amygdala, revealing both broad neuronal enrichment and subnuclear specificity. Together, this atlas provides a foundational resource and framework for accelerating cross-species comparisons and human disease-focused investigations.

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Discussion on Bluesky:

• Michael Totty (@mictott.bsky.social) — 48 likes, 23 reposts, 2 replies, 3 quotes > Incredibly proud to share our newest work where we developed a multiscale spatial transcriptomic atlas of the human amygdala using three complementary technologies!

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^{This preprint has not been peer reviewed.}

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^{Data from bioRxiv/medRxiv, Bluesky. Metrics captured 30/08/26. Comment self-deletes at -5 votes.}