AKT1 and schizophrenia: AKT1 is a promising target as delta-9-tetrahydrocannbinol (THC) has been shown to activate AKT1 in vitro5 and in vivo; THC administration to mice activates AKT1 in the hippocampus, striatum and cerebellum.6 The AKT1 gene codes for a protein kinase that forms part of the striatal dopamine receptor signalling cascade7 and hence has a plausible biological mechanism for interacting with cannabis to confer an increased risk of schizophrenia.