Prefrontal Cortical Alterations of Actin Regulation and Energy Production in Layer 3 Pyramidal Neurons in Schizophrenia

Abstract

Working memory, the ability to transiently maintain and manipulate a limited amount of information to guide thought or behavior, is impaired in schizophrenia. This impairment has been suggested to stem from hypoactive glutamatergic pyramidal neurons in layer 3 (L3PNs) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In schizophrenia, L3PNs exhibit morphological abnormalities such as smaller somal sizes, shorter dendritic arbors, and fewer dendritic spines, features that are all regulated by actin dynamics.