Ca2+/CREB/CBP-dependent gene regulation:: a shared mechanism critical in long-term synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival

CREB is a transcription factor critical for long-term synaptic plasticity. Intriguingly, recent work has elucidated a role for CREB, as well as upstream CREB kinases, in the control of activity-dependent neuronal survival. Additionally, analysis of the molecular pathology of polyglutamine-repeat diseases suggest that alteration of pCREB-CBP function may underlie, at least in part, the neurodegenerative process. Taken together, these new findings support the idea that Ca2+/CREB/CBP-dependent gene regulation might be a shared mechanism critical in both long-term synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.