Abstract
Prefrontal cortex (PFC) inhibitory microcircuits regulate the gain and timing of pyramidal neuron firing, coordinate neural ensemble interactions, and gate local and long-range neural communication to support adaptive cognition and contextually tuned behavior. Accordingly, perturbations of PFC inhibitory microcircuits are thought to underlie dysregulated cognition and behavior in numerous psychiatric diseases and relevant animal models. This review, based on a Mini-Symposium presented at the 2022 Society for Neuroscience Meeting, highlights recent studies providing novel insights into: (1) discrete medial PFC (mPFC) interneuron populations in the mouse brain; (2) mPFC interneuron connections with, and regulation of, long-range mPFC afferents; and (3) circuit-specific plasticity of mPFC interneurons. The contributions of such populations, pathways, and plasticity to rodent cognition are discussed in the context of stress, reward, motivational conflict, and genetic mutations relevant to psychiatric disease.
Funder
NINDS Intramural Research Program
HHS | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health
Wellcome Trust
HHS | NIH | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
HHS | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Brain and Behavior Research Foundation
US Department of Defense
NIMH Intramural Research Program