Serotonin, Dopamine, and Adrenergic receptors (5-HTR, DR, AR)

Serotonin, dopamine, and adrenergic receptors are three large families of G protein-coupled receptors that mediate the effects of their respective neurotransmitters—serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), and catecholamines (norepinephrine, epinephrine). Each family comprises multiple receptor subtypes with unique distributions, signaling mechanisms, and physiological effects. These receptors are central targets for drugs used in the management of depression, schizophrenia, hypertension, pain, and other psychiatric, neurological, and cardiovascular disorders. Due to high structural and functional diversity, precise pharmacological intervention at specific subtypes enables tailored therapeutic actions but also poses a challenge for safety and adverse effects.

Other names

5-hydroxytryptamine receptor5-HT receptorDA receptorDR receptorAdrenoceptorAR receptoralpha-adrenergic receptorbeta-adrenergic receptor

Agonism (activating the receptor). Antagonism (blocking the receptor). Inverse agonism. Modulation of intracellular second messengers (e.g., cAMP via GPCRs). Polypharmacology: simultaneous modulation of multiple receptor systems for synergistic or additive therapeutic effects. Allosteric modulation.