Protracted developmental trajectories of GABAA receptor alpha1 and alpha2 subunit expression in primate prefrontal cortex.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In schizophrenia, working memory dysfunction is associated with altered expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)(A) receptor alpha1 and alpha2 subunits in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In rodents, cortical alpha subunit expression shifts from low alpha1 and high alpha2 to high alpha1 and low alpha2 during early postnatal development. Because these two alpha subunits confer different functional properties to the GABA(A) receptors containing them, we determined whether this shift in alpha1 and alpha2 subunit expression continues through adolescence in the primate DLPFC, potentially contributing to the maturation of working memory during this developmental period.

Methods

Levels of GABA(A) receptor alpha1 and alpha2 subunit mRNAs were determined in

SUBMITTER: Hashimoto T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2882199 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature