If phosphatases go up, memory goes down

Previous work has provided conclusive support for a role of various protein kinases in processes underlying learning and memory formation. While these processes are not yet established in full detail, it is interesting to ent ertain the idea of protein phosphatases being involved in such mechanisms a s well. Recent advances in this respect have provided preliminary support o f this view. From the pharmacological as well as the transgenic analysis, i t appears that especially the calcineurin/inhibitor-1 cascade plays an impo rtant role in the transition of intermediate-term into long-term memory for mation.