Serotonin receptor type 1A (5-HT1A receptor)

The serotonin receptor type 1A (5-HT1A receptor) is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that binds serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and is encoded by the HTR1A gene[1][6]. It is the most widely distributed serotonin receptor in the brain, with high densities in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, septum, amygdala, and raphe nuclei. The receptor functions as both a somatodendritic autoreceptor on serotonergic neurons—regulating serotonin release—and as a postsynaptic heteroreceptor on other neuron types, modulating mood, anxiety, cognition, and neuroendocrine function. Alterations in its expression or function have been directly linked to major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and other psychiatric conditions. Clinically, it is targeted by a range of drugs, including partial agonists (anxiolytics and antidepressants) and antagonists, and its gene polymorphisms serve as biomarkers for disease risk and therapeutic response[1][2][3][4][6].

Other names

5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1AHTR1A5-HT1ASerotonin 1A receptorSerotonin-1A receptor

Agonist binding induces Gi protein coupling, reducing neuronal firing and cAMP production Partial agonists modulate receptor activity, resulting in antidepressant or anxiolytic effects Antagonists block serotonin binding, affecting serotonergic tone Regulation of presynaptic autoreceptors and postsynaptic heteroreceptors[1][3][4]