Alterations of cortical GABA neurons and network oscillations in schizophrenia.
The hypothesis that alterations of cortical inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons are a central element in the pathology of schizophrenia has emerged from a series of postmortem studies. How such abnormalities may contribute to the clinical features of schizophrenia has been substantially informed by a convergence with basic neuroscience studies revealing complex details of GABA neuron function in the healthy brain. Importantly, activity of the parvalbumin-containing class of GABA neurons has been linked to the production of cortical network oscillations. Furthermore, growing knowledge supports the concept that gamma band oscillations (30-80 Hz) are an essential mechanism for cortical information transmission and processing. Herein we review recent studies further indicating that inhibition from parvalbumin-positive GABA neurons is necessary to produce gamma oscillations in cortical circuits; provide an update on postmortem studies documenting that deficits in the expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase67, which accounts for most GABA synthesis in the cortex, are widely observed in schizophrenia; and describe studies using novel, noninvasive approaches directly assessing potential relations between alterations in GABA, oscillations, and cognitive function in schizophrenia.
Gonzalez-Burgos
Guillermo
G
Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Biomedical Science Tower, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. gburgos@pitt.edu
Hashimoto
Takanori
T
Lewis
David A
DA
D001683:Biological Clocks; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid