A maestro role of adenosine A2A receptors in GABAergic synapses stabilization during postnatal neuronal maturation

© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2022A recent work elegantly demonstrated a role of adenosine, through the high afnity Gs-coupled A2A receptors (A2AR), on stabilization of GABAergic synapses during a critical post-natal period, which is discussed here within the context of the most recent advances on our understanding of the neurodevelopmental actions of adenosine. Neuronal activity requires a proper balance between excitatory and inhibitory inputs, GABA being the predominant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Dysfunction of GABAergic signalling, in particular in the maturation of GABAergic synapses, leads to severe neurodevelopmental diseases, which may express as drug-resistant forms of epilepsy, cognitive impairment and, often, mental retardation or even premature death.The author is in receipt of funding from EU H2020 (EpiEpiNet Twinning Project, GA 952455) and Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal (PTDC/MED-FAR/30933/2017 and PTDC/MED-FAR/4834/2021).