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ADOLESCENCE AND GABAERGIC INTERNEURONS Kimberly C Diah, Adriana Caballero*, Kuei Tseng*, MD, PhD Lake Forest College, Neuroscience Department, Lake Forest IL 60045, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL 60064, debburma@mx.lakeforest.edu Adolescence is a period marked by amplified susceptibility to a number of neuropsychological disorders. Alterations to the normal progression of brain circuits can lead to long lasting effects of reduced cognition and perception, such as the onset of schizophrenic disorders. However, the underlying mechanisms that cause these dysfunctional changes in the brain are still yet to be discovered. Recent studies have given insight into the critical regions of development that form an interconnected pathway in the acquisition of mature local GABAergic circuits. GABAerigc responses in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus are mediated by highly specialized interneurons which have distinct expression patterns of calcium binding proteins. In the hippocampus, parvalbumin (PV), calretinin (CR) and calbindin positive interneurons are expressed. We examined the expression of PV and CR in the ventral hippocampus of juvenile (PD 25-40), adolescent (PD 45-55) and adult rats (PD 60-85) and found that there was a significant increase in PV expression in the ventral hippocampal region. There were no apparent changes found in the dorsal and lateral regions of the hippocampus. CR-positive interneurons displayed a steady expression from juveniles to adults and do not appear to be developmentally regulated. These findings provide a framework for understanding the developmental regulation of GABerigic circuits and allow us to understand those external factors that may impact neurodevelopment.
[Abstract (DOCX)]
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