Molecular neurobiology for practicing psychiatrists, Part 3: How second messengers "turn on" genes by activating protein kinases and transcription factors

Issue: One of the most important advances in molecular neurobiology of rele vance to the practicing psychiatrist is how an intracellular second messeng er can "turn on" genes by activating first a protein kinase enzyme and then a transcription factor. Failure to turn on the right genes may lead to psy chiatric illnesses. Causing the appropriate genes to turn on may be the the rapeutic mechanism of action of many current and future psychotropic drugs.