Using a strategy based on nucleotide sequence homology between genes encoding receptors that interact with guanine nucleotide-binding proteins, we have isolated Drosophila genomic and cDNA clones encoding a functional serotonin receptor (5HT-dro receptor). This protein is expressed predominantly in Drosophila heads and exhibits highest homology with the human 5HT1A receptor. The predicted struc...

Asvagandha (Withania somnifera) is an important antistress drug has now been sown to have an antidepressant action in clinically depressive patients, However, the mechanism of its antidepressant action has not been studied. Normal rats fed with asvagandha root extract (100mg/kg orally) for 4 and 8 weeks showed enhanced open field behavior and emotional stability along with a moderate but signif...

Aripiprazole is a third‐generation atypical (novel) antipsychotic, dihydroquinolinone, famously known as dopamine stabilizer, uniquely D2/D3 partial agonist, and 5HT1A agonist. It is a Food and Drug Administration‐approved drug for schizophrenia, bipolar mood disorder, augmentation in unipolar depression, irritability in autism, and Tourette syndrome in pediatric age group. It is lauded for bei...

Exposure to adverse environments during early development is a known risk factor for several psychiatric conditions including antisocial behavior and personality disorders. Here, we induced social anxiety and altered social recognition memory in adult mice using unpredictable maternal separation and maternal stress during early postnatal life. We show that these social defects are not only pron...

Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying sleep homeostasis is limited. We have taken a systematic approach to study neural signaling by the transmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in drosophila. We have generated knockout and knockin lines for Trh, the 5-HT synthesizing enzyme and all five 5-HT receptors, making it possible for us to determine their expression patterns and to inv...

Epilepsy is a devastating disease, with cognitive and emotional consequences that are not curable. In recent years, it became apparent that cannabinoids help patients to cope with epilepsy. We have studied the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on the ability to produce long term potentiation (LTP) in stratum radiatum of CA1 region of the mouse hippocampus. Exposure to seizure-producing pilocarpine r...

gepirone, ipsapirone, tandospirone and others) are 1arylpiperazine derivatives with a high affinity to the 5HT1A receptor (1-3). Therefore, they are widely used in the treatment of psychotic and neurotic disorders. This paper is a continuation of our research in the field of 4aryl/heteroaryl piperazinylalkyl derivatives (4, 5) of 1(1H-pyrrole-1-ylmethyl)-10-oxa-azatricyclo[5.2.1.0] dec-8-ene-3,...