Liv Spina

This study shows that somatic DNA-repeat expansions in cortical and striatal neurons of Huntington's disease initiate similar pathological changes, but lead to distinct gene expression outcomes.

The paper analyzes single-nucleus RNA-seq data from the human striatum and prefrontal cortex to study inter-individual variation in cell abundances and gene expression, finding age-related changes and genetic associations.

The paper identifies a neuron-astrocyte gene expression program, SNAP, that declines in aging and schizophrenia, linking it to cognitive function and genetic risk factors.