OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that
abnormalities in the parvalbumin-containing subclass of local circuit
neurons contribute to altered gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
neurotransmission in the prefrontal cortex of schizophrenic subjects.
METHOD: Profile counts and somal size measures were made of parvalbumin-
immunoreactive neurons in areas 9, 46, and 17 from 15 matched pairs of
schizophrenic and normal comparison subjects. RESULTS: No differences in
relative density, laminar distribution, or somal size of labeled neurons
were found in any region. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that altered
GABA neurotransmission in schizophrenia is due to either abnormalities in
other sub-populations of prefrontal cortical GABA neurons or abnormalities
in the parvalbumin-containing subclass that could not be detected in the
present study.Abstract Teaser