The role of cerebellar inhibitory interneurons in neurodevelopmental disorders

Abnormal development of inhibitory neurons in the cerebellum may lead to important mental health conditions such as autism. It is therefore critical to understand how these neurons develop and function. There are multiple types of inhibitory neurons in the cerebellum. They are important in controlling cerebellar activity; however, we don't know precisely how they develop or influence brain function. The aim of this proposal is to determine how different types of inhibitory neurons of the cerebellum develop and how they control cerebellar function to gain a better understanding of their role in disease. I propose to analyse how inhibitory neurons develop in mice, identify key regulators of this process, investigate how loss of these regulators disrupt the formation of these neurons, and determine how a specific type of inhibitory neuron regulates cerebellar activity. This work will provide important insights into how disruptions in cerebellar development lead to mental health disorders.