FIGURE 3.

Reduced neuronal Akt Ser473 phosphorylation leads to increased surface norepinephrine transporter expression, leading to an increased neuronal uptake of both norepinephrine and dopamine from the extracellular space, resulting in increased presynaptic conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine, with consequent lower levels of dopamine and higher levels of norepinephrine in vesicles of the presynaptic neurons. This could lead to lower levels of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex and also affect the signaling of the sympathetic nervous system.