Multi-omics characterization of astrocyte subtypes reveals spatially coordinated astrocyte downregulation in depression

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a complex psychiatric disorder affecting millions of individuals worldwide. Astrocytes, which have been implicated in MDD by several studies, are the most abundant non-neuronal cells in the brain and play critical roles in synaptic regulation, blood-brain barrier maintenance, and immune modulation. While astrocytic molecular and morphological abnormalities are well-established features of MDD, these alterations have not been resolved within their spatial context. Here, we combine spatial transcriptomics with matched snRNA-seq and snATAC-seq datasets to spatially map molecularly distinct astrocyte subtypes and define their regional contributions to MDD pathology. This spatial context further enables the characterization of astrocyte interactions with neighboring cell populations, providing a more holistic assessment of how dysfunctional astrocytes influence local brain microenvironments and circuit function in MDD. We identified spatially localized astrocytic dysfunction in deep cortical layers of the MDD dlPFC, converging across transcriptomic, chromatin, and spatial modalities and centering on the PSAP-GPR37L1 signaling axis. Together, these findings identify astrocyte dysfunction as a key feature of MDD and demonstrate the value of spatially resolved molecular profiling for uncovering how altered astrocyte–neuron communication within deep cortical layers may contribute to disease pathology.