Parvalbumin interneurons in anterior cingu⁃late cortex regulate cognitive behaviors in methylazoxymethanol acetate model of schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE Cognitive dysfunc⁃tion is a core disturbance of schizophrenia,appear to emerge from impaired neural activity.The anterior cingulate cortex(ACC)is an integra⁃tion hub for higher-order thalamic inputs impor⁃tant for complex cognitive tasks such as learning and memory processes,attention and social interaction.Parvalbumin(PV)interneurons could filter information at pyramidal neurons of ACC,and the abnormal PV interneurons have been observed in both humans and animal models of schizophrenia.However,the mechanisms of PV interneurons in ACC regulating cognition in schizophrenia is poorly understood.METHODS The pregnant mice were injected with methyl⁃azoxymethanol acetate(MAM)on gestational day(GD)16 for the neurodevelopmental MAM model of schizophrenia in our study.We investi⁃gated the cognitive behaviors by a serious of tests such as pre-pulse inhibition,Y maze,novel object and novel location recognition and the intrinsic excitability of PV interneurons and inhibi⁃tory synaptic transmission onto pyramidal cells localized in layer 5 of ACC by whole-cell record⁃ings.Further,the PV interneurons were regulat⁃ed by designer receptor exclusively activated by a designer drug(DREADD)system and the D-serine,a co-agonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate(NMDA)receptors.RESULTS①MAM mice showed the cognitive deficits and hypo-excitability of PV interneurons in ACC.②Restoration of PV interneuron activity in ACC improved cognitive function in MAM mice.③Inhibition of PV interneu⁃ron activity in ACC was sufficient to cause cogni⁃tive dysfunction in control mice.④NMDA recep⁃tors of PV interneurons in ACC were impaired in MAM mice.⑤Deficits of NMDA receptor sig⁃naling specifically in PV interneurons and of cog⁃nitive behaviors in MAM mice were rescued by D-serine.CONCLUSION PV interneurons in ACC are closely related to cognitive function in the MAM model of schizophrenia and D-serine maybe a potential therapy for schizophrenia.