Table 2.

Effects of CREB/ATF family transcription factors in the nucleus accumbens on emotional behavior

CREB family proteinAnxiety-like behaviorDepression-like behaviorDrug sensitivity
CREB↓↑ ↑↓ ↓
ATF3↓ ↓↑↓ ↓
ATF4↓ ↓↑ ↑↓
ICER↑ ↑↓ ↓ ↓↑ ↑
ATF2↑↓ ↓↑

  • The table summarizes the behavioral effects of overexpression of each protein in the nucleus accumbens based on data, in addition to the present study, reported by Carlezon et al. (1998), Pliakas et al. (2001), Barrot et al. (2002), and Green et al. (2006). The ICER/ATF2 phenotype represents a “CREB antagonist” phenotype, because overexpression of mCREB, a dominant-negative CREB mutant, produces equivalent effects.