Serotonin receptor (5-hydroxytryptamine receptor) (5-HT receptor)

Serotonin receptors, or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors, are a diverse group of proteins that mediate the effects of the neurotransmitter serotonin across the central and peripheral nervous systems [3, 5]. They are primarily classified as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), with the exception of the 5-HT3 receptor, which is a ligand-gated ion channel [3, 4]. These receptors are organized into seven distinct families (5-HT1 to 5-HT7) and play essential roles in regulating mood, sleep, appetite, cognition, and gastrointestinal motility [5, 8]. Dysregulation of serotonin receptor signaling is a hallmark of many psychiatric and neurological disorders, including major depressive disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia, and migraine [7, 12]. Consequently, they are among the most extensively studied therapeutic targets, with drugs ranging from triptans for migraines to atypical antipsychotics and antiemetics [5, 9]. The term “Serotonin receptor pathways” encompasses the various intracellular signaling cascades, such as the inhibition or stimulation of adenylyl cyclase and the activation of phospholipase C, that follow receptor activation [3, 6]. Therapeutic modulation of these pathways requires high subtype selectivity to avoid adverse effects like serotonin syndrome or cardiovascular complications [5, 10]. Overall, these receptors are central to both basic neurobiology and the pharmacological management of diverse human diseases [8, 12].

Other names

5-hydroxytryptamine receptor5-HT receptorSerotonin receptor familySerotonergic receptors

Agonism, Antagonism, Partial agonism, and Inverse agonism of various 5-HT receptor subtypes to modulate neurotransmission and downstream signaling pathways.