Serotonin in Health and Disease

Abstract

The International Journal of Molecular Sciences Special Issue “Serotonin in health and diseases” covers several aspects of the multiple and still mysterious functions of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT). 5-HT is neurotransmitter acting in the central nervous system (CNS), blood factor, and neurohormone controlling the function of several peripheral organs. Beyond its widespread implication in physiology, the 5-HT system is involved in numerous diseases of the CNS (e.g., depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorders, addiction, Parkinson’s disease) and peripheral organs (e.g., gastrointestinal disorders, cardiac arrhythmia, hypertension). The Special Issue includes 14 articles dealing with molecular and cellular effects of 5-HT in periphery and CNS, from functional aspects in lower animals to clinical practices. Beyond physiology, the Special Issue also covers the influence of 5-HT and its receptors in the mechanism of action of psychoactive molecules including antipsychotics, antidepressants, and drug of abuse. The recent progress made on the function and dysfunction of the 5-HT system will certainly increase the understanding of the widespread role of 5-HT ultimately leading to better apprehend its targeting in human diseases.

The Role of Central Serotonin Neurons and 5-HT Heteroreceptor Complexes in the Pathophysiology of Depression: A Historical Perspective and Future Prospects

“…The 5-HT nerve terminal networks are also known to participate in, e.g., schizophrenia, drug addiction, anxiety and Parkinson’s disease [ 72 , 73 ]. As for schizophrenia, it is of great interest that serotonin and glutamate interactions have been demonstrated in preclinical models of schizophrenia that, at least in part, take place in 5-HT2AR-mGluR2 heterocomplexes, which affect trafficking and localization involving mouse frontal cortex pyramidal neurons [ 74 , 75 ].…”

Low Basicity as a Characteristic for Atypical Ligands of Serotonin Receptor 5-HT2

“…Serotonin receptors (5-HTRs) are a group of proteins extensively examined by academic and commercial researchers, due to their vital roles, which they play in the organism, constituting thus important drug targets for a wide range of disorders [1,2]. Their endogenous ligand, serotonin, modulates numerous processes, such as mood, perception, reward, anger, aggression, appetite, memory, sexuality, attention, among others; however, it also controls other, non-neuropsychological processes, such as vasoconstriction, digestion, muscle contraction, and inflammatory mediation [1,[3][4][5][6][7].…”

“…Serotonin receptors (5-HTRs) are a group of proteins extensively examined by academic and commercial researchers, due to their vital roles, which they play in the organism, constituting thus important drug targets for a wide range of disorders [1,2]. Their endogenous ligand, serotonin, modulates numerous processes, such as mood, perception, reward, anger, aggression, appetite, memory, sexuality, attention, among others; however, it also controls other, non-neuropsychological processes, such as vasoconstriction, digestion, muscle contraction, and inflammatory mediation [1,[3][4][5][6][7]. The 5-HT receptors can be found both in the central and peripheral nervous system-their vast majority (≈90%) is located in the gastrointestinal tract, several percent of serotonin belongs to platelets, and around 1-2% of serotonin receptors present in the human body is located in the central nervous system (CNS) [8].…”

Probiotic Effector Compounds: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives

“…Dopamine can be metabolized into DOPAC, which can be degraded to HVA. In the central nervous system, serotonin plays a role in regulating emotions, sleep, and stress ( De Deurwaerdère and Di Giovanni, 2020 ) by influencing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Though it is likely that probiotics that produce these biogenic amines may have central nervous system modulatory effects, the effector molecules would have to be produced in adequate quantities in the gut of the host to elicit the desired effects.…”