The findings suggest estrogen exerts a rapid kinase regulatory effect that leads to enhanced protein synthesis for dendritic function. It is currently unclear how estrogen activates these multiple kinase signaling pathways. Studies to examine whether scaffold proteins such as MNAR, striatin or p130Cas play a role in linking membrane estrogen receptors to kinase targets in the brain and thereby facilitate kinase activation are clearly needed. Also unclear is what role does rapid kinase signaling have in the genomic effects of estrogen, and are genomic effects critical for estrogen induction of synaptic plasticity? Finally, more work is needed on the precise identity and targeting of the membrane receptor involved in estrogen-induced synaptic plasticity – e.g. is it ER-_, ER-_, GPR30 or an as yet unidentified new estrogen receptor, and how are membrane estrogen receptors targeted to the membrane? Further work on these important issues should help enhance our understanding of basic mechanisms of estrogen signaling in the brain and may provide insights into potential therapies.