GABARα2 is Decreased in the Axon Initial Segment of Pyramidal Cells in Specific Areas of the Prefrontal Cortex in Autism.

Some forms of Autism Spectrum Disorder, a neurodevelopmental syndrome characterized by impaired communication and social skills as well as repetitive behaviors, are purportedly associated with dysregulation of the excitation/inhibition balance in the cerebral cortex. Through human postmortem tissue analysis, we previously found a significant decrease in the number of a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic interneuron subtype, the chandelier (Ch) cell, in the prefrontal cortex of subjects with autism. Ch cells exclusively target the axon initial segment (AIS) of excitatory pyramidal (Pyr) neurons, and a single Ch cell forms synapses on hundreds of Pyr cells, indicating a possible role in maintaining electrical balance.