{
  "id": 9423670,
  "title": "First map of mouse brain lipids reveals over 500 biochemical zones",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/first-map-of-mouse-brain-lipids-reveals-over-500-biochemical-zones",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-23T22:00:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-mouse-brain-lipids-reveals-biochemical.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Scientists have created the first comprehensive map of lipids in the mouse brain, revealing over 500 biochemical zones. Lipids, which form critical components of neurons and myelin, have been underrepresented in neuroscience research compared to genes and proteins. The Lipid Brain Atlas, developed by a team led by Giovanni D Angelo, Luca Fusar Bassini, and Gioele La Manno from EPFL, uses mass spectrometry imaging to visualize lipid distribution across the entire brain. This technique measures lipid molecules at specific points on thin brain slices, ultimately creating a 3D model of the brain's lipid landscape. The atlas divides the brain into 539 distinct regions, called lipizones, each with a unique lipid signature. Many lipizones align with known cell types and brain regions, but others connect nerve cell bodies to distant areas their fibers extend to, a connection that was previously overlooked in gene-based maps. The map also highlights previously unnoticed variations in the brain's white matter, suggesting that the cells producing myelin exhibit greater chemical diversity than genetic variations alone would imply. Furthermore, the atlas uncovers chemical boundaries within the choroid plexus, the tissue that produces cerebrospinal fluid, and the linings of the brain's internal cavities. It also captures lipid changes during pregnancy, showing more substantial variations across many regions compared to typical male-female differences. The reorganization of lipids in the cortex and key myelin components during pregnancy indicates that the brain adjusts its lipid composition to accommodate its evolving needs. This detailed map of brain lipids provides researchers with a new, highly specific tool for studying brain development, aging, and disease, offering a foundation for further investigations into the role of lipids in neurological health and disorders.",
  "summary": "The brain is often described in terms of cells and wiring. However, much of it is made of lipids that form the membranes of neurons, wrap nerve fibers with myelin and help brain cells send and receive signals.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}