The Perineuronal Net Protein Brevican Acts in Nucleus Accumbens Parvalbumin-Expressing Interneurons of Adult Mice to Regulate Excitatory Synaptic Inputs and Motivated Behaviors

Experience-dependent functional adaptation of nucleus accumbens (NAc) circuitry underlies the development and expression of reward-motivated behaviors. Parvalbumin-expressing GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) interneurons (PVINs) within the NAc are required for this process. Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are extracellular matrix structures enriched around PVINs that arise during development and have been proposed to mediate brain circuit stability. However, their function in the adult NAc is largely unknown. Here, we studied the developmental emergence and adult regulation of PNNs in the NAc of male and female mice and examined the cellular and behavioral consequences of reducing the PNN component brevican in NAc PVINs.