The role of ventral striatal cAMP signaling in stress-induced behaviors

Changes in cAMP signalling in the brain influence mood and responses to stress. Here, the authors found that Cdk5 regulates cAMP degradation by PDE4 phosphodiesterases in the mouse ventral striatum. Targeting this mechanism in striatum or D1 dopamine receptor–expressing neurons improved behavioral responses to acute and chronic stressors. These results suggest an alternative strategy for the treatment of mental illnesses like depression where stress is a risk factor.