Fate, Maturation and Function of Cortical Inhibition

While GABAergic inhibitory interneurons constitute the minority of neurons in the cortex, they are integral parts of all cortical circuits, performing diverse forms of computations that are the foundations of cortical processing, plasticity and behavior. The vast genetic, morphological and physiological diversity of inhibitory neurons allows them to shape cortical circuits in order to perform these precise computations. Moreover, perturbation of interneuron fate, maturation and function has been observed in many developmental and psychiatric disorders such as epilepsy, autism and schizophrenia.

Recent technological advancements now allow researchers to probe cell types and cortical circuits at both single cell and population levels from embryonic timepoints through adulthood. This Research Topic aims to bridge the diverse aspects of cortical inhibition from cellular diversity to cortical computation and behavior. Our increased understanding of GABAergic neuron development, highlighted by studies in this Research Topic, marks an exciting and potentially transformative period for our understanding of the role of cortical GABAergic neurons both in health and in psychiatric disorders.

In this Research Topic, we may collect Original research articles, Reviews/Mini reviews, Brief research reports and Methods.

Topics can cover, but are not restricted to:
● Inhibitory neuron fate and circuit development
● Inhibitory neuron diversity: from molecular levels to circuit and physiological features.
● Dysfunctions of cortical inhibition and how it relates to neurodevelopmental and
neuropsychiatric disorders
● Computational principles of cortical inhibition
● Cortical inhibition-related generation of animal behaviors and inhibitory circuit plasticity in
adults
● Translational aspects of cortical inhibition from lower mammals to higher species
including primates and human studies.

Keywords: Development, Neuron Diversity, Behaviors, Inhibitory Circuits, Plasticity, Interneurons, GABA, Cortical computation, Cortex.

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.