Regulation of the CREB signaling cascade in the visual cortex by visual experience and neuronal activity.

The cAMP-responsive element (CRE) regulatory pathway has been studied as a model of signal-regulated transcription and is critical for some forms of learning and adaptation. In cell culture systems, the extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) and ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) couple synaptic signals to CRE-mediated gene expression by modulating CRE-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation. However, it is not known whether sensory experience regulates gene expression in the brain by this mechanism.