Abstract
•The dual-specificity phosphatase (DUSP) family includes a heterogeneous group of protein phosphatases that are characterized by the removal of a phosphorus group from both phospho-tyrosine and phospho-serine/phospho-threonine residues within a single substrate.•DUSP proteins have been shown to modulate diverse neural functions, such as neurogenesis, differentiation, and apoptosis.•Genetic and epigenetic studies have identified associations between several DUSP family members and a variety of mental and neurological disorders.
The dual-specificity phosphatase (DUSP) family includes a heterogeneous group of protein phosphatases that dephosphorylate both phospho-tyrosine and phospho-serine/phospho-threonine residues within a single substrate. These protein phosphatases have many substrates and modulate diverse neural functions, such as neurogenesis, differentiation, and apoptosis. DUSP genes have furthermore been associated with mental disorders such as depression and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Herein, we review the current literature on the DUSP family of genes concerning mental and neurological disorders. This review i) outlines the structure and general functions of DUSP genes, and ii) overviews the literature on DUSP genes concerning mental and neurological disorders, including model systems, while furthermore providing perspectives for future research.