PURPOSE To apply a multidisciplinary approach to the identification and pharmacological characterization of the serotonin (5HT) receptors that mediate functional responses in human trabecular meshwork (h-TM) cells. To correlate in vitro findings with intraocular pressure (IOP) changes in conscious ocular hypertensive cynomolgus monkeys. METHODS Documented methods were used, including reverse ...

An insertion/deletion polymorphism in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) and a polymorphism (rs6313) in the serotonin 2A receptor gene (5-HT2A) have previously been linked to smoking behavior. The objective of this study was to determine the possible association of the 5-HTTLPR and 5-HT2A gene polymorphisms with smoking behavior within a population of Malaysian mal...

BACKGROUND Several lines of evidence suggest that a disturbance of serotonin neuronal pathways may contribute to the pathogenesis of anorexia nervosa (AN). This study applied positron emission tomography (PET) to investigate the brain serotonin 2A (5HT2A) receptor, which could contribute to disturbances of appetite and behavior in AN. METHODS To avoid the confounding effects of malnutrition, ...

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT) receptors mediate a plethora of physiological phenomena in the brain and the periphery. Additionally, serotonergic dysfunction has been implicated in nearly every neuropsychiatric disorder. The effects of serotonin are mediated by fourteen GPCRs. Both the therapeutic actions and side effects of commonly prescribed drugs are frequently due to nonspecific ...

In adolescence, being socially successful depends to a large extent on being popular with peers. Even though some youths have what it takes to be popular, they are not, whereas others seem to have a secret ingredient that just makes the difference. In this study the G-allele of a functional polymorphism in the promotor region of the 5HT2A serotonin receptor gene (-G1438A) was identified as a se...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Schizophrenia, the debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder, is known to be heritable, involving complex genetic mechanisms. Several chromosomal regions associated with schizophrenia have been identified during the past; putative gene (s) in question, to be called the global signature for the pathophysiology of the disease, however, seems to evade us. The results obtained ...

The activation of cannabinoid CB1 receptors (CB1R) by ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main component Cannabis sativa, induces analgesia. CB1R activation, however, also causes cognitive impairment via serotonin 5HT2A receptor (5HT2AR), a CB1R–5HT2AR heteromer, posing serious drawback for therapeutic use. We have shown that peptides reproducing transmembrane (TM) helices 5 and 6, fused to cell...

Pimavanserin, a novel agent approved for the treatment of Parkinson's disease psychosis, has potent actions as an antagonist/inverse agonist at serotonin 5HT2A receptors and less potent antagonist/inverse agonist actions at 5HT2C receptors.

BACKGROUND Antipsychotics are divided into typical and atypical compounds based on clinical efficacy and side effects. The purpose of this study was to characterize in vitro a series of novel azecine-type compounds at human dopamine D1-D5 and 5HT2A receptors and to assign them to different classes according to their dopamine/5HT2A receptor profile. RESULTS Regardless of using affinity data (p...

serotonin receptors are involved in pathophysiology of schizophrenia and may mediate other neurotransmitter effects. we investigated serotonin receptors gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (pbmc) of naïve schizophrenic patients, before and after treatment. also serotonin receptor gene expression was compared in two treatment groups including haloperidol and olanzapine. the pbm...