[Influence of stress on the activation of CaMKII in the brain]

Stress can affect signal transduction in the brain, possibly resulting in the development of certain psychiatric disorders, such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) II is one of the protein kinases abundantly expressed in the brain, especially in the hippocampus, which plays an important role in synaptic plasticity, and is therefore involved in memory formation. Here, we provide a brief overview of the effects of stress on the levels of CaMKII and phosphorylation (activation) of CaMKII in the rat hippocampus through the glutamatergic system, alpha-amino-3-hydro-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptors. Furthermore, we highlight the possible links between stress-mediated CaMKII modulation and the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders.