Cited by 366Schizophrenia research and treatmentNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Expression of Interneuron Markers in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex of the Developing Human and in Schizophrenia

Fung, Samantha J., Webster, Maree J., Sivagnanasundaram, Sinthuja, Duncan, Carlotta, Elashoff, Michael, Weickert, Cynthia Shannon·2010·American Journal of Psychiatry

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The onset of schizophrenia symptoms in late adolescence implies a neurodevelopmental trajectory for the disease. Indeed, the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibitory system shows protracted development, and GABA-ergic deficits are widely replicated in postmortem schizophrenia studies. The authors examined expression of several interneuron markers across postnatal human development and in schizophrenia to assess whether protracted development of certain interneuron subpopulations may be associated with a particular vulnerability in schizophrenia. METHOD: RNA was extracted postmortem from dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of individuals from age 6 weeks to 49 years (N=68) and from a cohort of normal comparison subjects and schizophrenia patients (N=74, 37 pairs). Expression levels of parvalbumin, cholecystokinin, somatostatin, neuropeptide Y, calretinin, calbindin, and vasoactive intestinal peptide were measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Changes in calretinin protein levels were examined by Western blot. RESULTS: Interneuron marker genes followed one of three general expression profiles: either increasing (parvalbumin, cholecystokinin) or decreasing (somatostatin, calretinin, neuropeptide Y) in expression over postnatal life, with the most dramatic changes seen in the first few years before reaching a plateau; or increasing to peak expression in the toddler years before decreasing (calbindin, vasoactive intestinal peptide). mRNA expression of all genes, with the exception of calbindin (which increased), showed a reduction (8%-31%) in schizophrenia. Somatostatin showed the most dramatic reduction (31%) in schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that a heterogeneous population of interneurons is implicated in schizophrenia. Further studies are needed to determine whether specific interneuron subpopulations are altered or whether common or distinct upstream pathways are responsible for interneuron deficits in schizophrenia.

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Crossref · 10.1176/appi.ajp.2010.09060784

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Authors
Fung, S. J., Webster, M. J., Sivagnanasundaram, S., Duncan, C., Elashoff, M., & Weickert, C. S.
Affiliations
UNSW Sydney (AU)
Venue
American Journal of Psychiatry
Published
2010-12
Volume
167
Issue
12
Pages
1479-1488
ISSN
  • 0002-953X (ISSN-L)
  • 1535-7228
OpenAlex
W2125788186
Cited by
366
References
41
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 30 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 33 · 2012: 28
FWCI
17.27
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • American Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
schizophrenia, interneurons, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, postnatal brain development, parvalbumin, somatostatin, cholecystokinin, calretinin, calbindin, neuropeptide Y, vasoactive intestinal peptide, GABAergic system, gene expression, neurodevelopmental hypothesis
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Brain, Child, Child, Preschool, Humans, Infant, Interneurons, Middle Aged, Neuropeptides, Parvalbumins, Schizophrenia, Prefrontal Cortex, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental

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