Serotonin and Norepinephrine Transporters (SERT and NET)

The serotonin transporter (SERT) and norepinephrine transporter (NET) are sodium-dependent neurotransmitter transporters responsible for the reuptake of released serotonin and norepinephrine, respectively, into nerve terminals in the brain. These transporters play key roles in spatiotemporal regulation of neurotransmission, maintenance of extrasynaptic monoamine levels, and pre-synaptic monoamine homeostasis. They are important targets for antidepressant medications, particularly serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), which block the reuptake of both serotonin and norepinephrine, thereby increasing their availability in the synaptic cleft. This dual inhibition can offer advantages over single-neurotransmitter targeting drugs by addressing a wider range of symptoms, especially in conditions involving both mood disorders and pain.

Other names

Serotonin Transporter (SERT)Norepinephrine Transporter (NET)Noradrenaline Transporter (NAT)Solute carrier family 6 member 2 (SLC6A2) for NET

Inhibition of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake from synaptic cleft, blocking reabsorption of neurotransmitters, and increasing availability of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain.