Measuring the maturity of the fast-spiking interneuron transcriptional program in autism, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that fast-spiking (FS) interneurons are disrupted in multiple neuropsychiatric disorders including autism, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. FS cells, which are the primary source of synaptic inhibition, are critical for temporally organizing brain activity, regulating brain maturation, and modulating critical developmental periods in multiple cortical systems. Reduced expression of parvalbumin, a marker of mature FS cells, has been reported in individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and in mouse models of schizophrenia and autism.