Dlx5/6 involvement in the postnatal maturation of cortical parvalbumin neurons during critical periods
Brain activity depends on GABAergic inhibitory interneurons. Dlx5 and Dlx6 are two closely related homeobox genes, expressed by the telencephalic ganglionic eminences. In the adult brain, Dlx5/6 are expressed in most cortical GABAergic interneurons.In the prefrontal cortex, Parvalbumin-positive neurons (PV-neurons) are involved in cognitive functions, and their maturation is critical for cognitive development. Using mouse lines in which Dlx5/6 are either invalidated or overexpressed in GABAergic neurons, we have recently shown that the adult density of PV-neurons is directly correlated to Dlx5