The cell types that comprise neural networks are critical in determining their function.
Within the globus pallidus externa (GPe), a nucleus of the basal ganglia implicated in
Parkinsonism, several neuronal subpopulations have been described genetically and
anatomically, but functional and physiological studies have been limited. This study examines
the previously undescribed collateral connections between two key cell types in the GPe, defined
by the genetic expression of parvalbumin (PV) or LIM homeobox 6 (Lhx6). Further investigation
of this network in a mouse model of Parkinson’s Disease reveals a selective weakening of
synaptic input from PV to Lhx6 neurons following dopamine lesions. This study builds on recent
literature elucidating the roles of specific GPe cell types to basal ganglia function in health and
disease
