Serotonin 5-HT7 Receptor Blockade Reverses Behavioral Abnormalities in PACAP-Deficient Mice and Receptor Activation Promotes Neurite Extension in Primary Embryonic Hippocampal Neurons

The serotonin 5-HT(7) receptor has been linked to various psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, anxiety and depression, and is antagonized by antipsychotics such as risperidone, clozapine and lurasidone. In this study, we examined whether inhibiting the 5-HT(7) receptor could reverse behavioral abnormalities in mice lacking pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), an experimental mouse model for psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. The selective 5-HT(7) antagonist SB-269970 effectively suppressed abnormal jumping behavior in PACAP-deficient mice. SB-269970 tended to alleviate the higher immobility in the forced swim test in PACAP-deficient mice, although SB-269970 reduced the immobility also in wild-type mice. In addition, we found that mutant mice had impaired performance in the Y-maze test, which was reversed by SB-269970. In the mutant mouse brain, 5-HT(7) protein expression did not differ from wild-type mice. In primary embryonic hippocampal neurons, the 5-HT(7) agonist AS19 increased neurite length and number. Furthermore, SB-269970 significantly inhibited the increase in neurite extension mediated by the 5-HT(1A/7) agonist 8-OH-DPAT. These results indicate that 5-HT(7) receptor blockade ameliorates psychomotor and cognitive deficits in PACAP-deficient mice, providing additional evidence that the 5-HT(7) receptor is a rational target for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.     

5-HT(7) receptors in the modulation of cognitive processes

The abundance of serotonin (5-HT) in the central nervous system can explain its role in the regulation of various functions, such as sleep, feeding, sexuality, emotional status, and pain. In addition, 5-HT localized in "cognitive pathways" with hippocampus and frontal cortex as the main target structures, is involved in learning and memory processes. Recent studies led to the discovery of various types and subtypes of receptors, differentially associated to cognitive mechanisms. Abundant data available reveals that the administration of 5-HT(2A/2C) and 5-H(T4) receptor agonists, or 5-HT(1A), 5-HT(3) and 5-HT(1B) antagonists improves memory and has a facilitatory effect on learning in situations involving a high cognitive demand. On the contrary 5-HT(2A/2C) and 5-HT(4) receptors antagonists, or 5-HT(1A), 5-HT(3) and 5-HT(1B) receptors agonists have opposite effects. Although these results are contradictory, or even opposite, it is important to take into account the effect of global, and unspecific, stimulation of serotonergic receptors and the activation of other neurotransmission systems, together with the type of task used, the way it is administered and the ligand affinity. The aim of this review is to clarify the behavioral role of the recently discovered 5-HT(7)-type receptor and highlight its involvement in the modulation of learning and memory processes, thus providing a basis to obtain new therapeutic agents and strategies for the treatment of learning and memory disorders.     

Molecular imaging of the 5-HT(1A) receptor in relation to human cognition

Animal studies and pharmacological studies in man have suggested that the serotonin 5-HT(1A) receptor may serve as a biomarker for cognitive functioning and a target for treatment of cognitive impairment. Consistent findings in man have nonetheless hitherto remained sparse. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of the 5-HT(1A) receptor in patients with Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and depression implicate an alteration in 5-HT(1A) receptor binding compared to control subjects, but it is yet unknown whether these alterations are related to the cognitive impairment associated with these disorders. Pharmacological challenge studies using 5-HT(1A) agonism and antagonism to manipulate the serotonin system support involvement of the 5-HT(1A) receptor in human cognition, mainly in verbal memory functioning. However, the effect varies across studies and it remains unclear if the 5-HT(1A) receptor serves as a validated target for treatment of cognitive deficits. This lack of confirmation of experimental preclinical data, calls for increased efforts in translational research. Molecular imaging techniques such as PET, holds the potential to facilitate translational neuroscience by confirming observations from animal models in man, and aid development of validated animal models of use for advancement of pharmacological treatment. Furthermore, in combination with molecular genetics, molecular imaging may suggest novel strategies for prevention and intervention, based on an understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in disease pathogenesis of major neuropsychiatric disorder and associated cognitive impairment.     

Effect of 5-HT1A-receptor functional polymorphism on Theory of Mind performances in schizophrenia

Theory of Mind (ToM) abilities are known to be impaired in schizophrenia and data from functional brain imaging studies showed that ToM deficit is correlated to prefrontal cortex (PFC) dysfunction. Moreover, several lines of evidence suggest a critical role for dopaminergic-serotoninergic interactions at the PFC level. In this view, we aimed to analyse the specific effect of the -1019 C/G functional polymorphism of the serotonin 1A receptor (5-HT1A-R), involved in both serotonin and dopamine transmission regulation. A total of 118 clinically stabilised schizophrenia patients was assessed with a neuropsychological battery, including evaluation of IQ, verbal memory, attention and executive function and a ToM task; they also underwent 5-HT1A-R genotyping. We observed a significant effect of the 5-HT1A-R genotype on ToM performances, with the CC genotype performing significantly better. The finding suggests an effect of the 5-HT1A-R polymorphism on ToM cognitive performance in schizophrenia patients, probably through complex interactions between dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems, involved in mentalising.     

Does stimulation of 5-HT(1A) receptors improve cognition in schizophrenia?

Cognitive impairment is a key feature of schizophrenia and may be the most important determinant of outcome in schizophrenia. This impairment is diffuse and may reflect abnormalities in frontal cortex, hippocampus and other brain regions. While deficits in glutamatergic, GABAergic, dopaminergic and cholinergic impairment have received the most attention as the basis of this impairment, there are many reasons for considering the role of serotonin (5-HT) in contributing to these deficits. This may be via its influence on dopaminergic, cholinergic, glutamatergic and GABAergic function, as well as various growth factors that have been implicated in schizophrenia. Of the 14 known serotonin receptors, the 5-HT(1A) receptor is a key candidate for mediating at least some of the influence 5-HT has on cognition. 5-HT(1A) receptors are upregulated in postmortem specimens from patients with schizophrenia, suggesting a deficit in 5-HT(1A) function in this disorder. Atypical but not typical antipsychotic drugs stimulate the efflux of dopamine from cortex by a 5-HT(1A)-dependent mechanism. A series of studies from this laboratory involving the 5-HT(1A) partial agonists tandospirone and buspirone have reported a modest ability of these agents to improve some domains of cognition in patients receiving typical or atypical antipsychotic drugs. Preclinical studies have been mixed in regard to the ability of 5-HT(1A) partial agonists to improve cognition in various paradigms; some studies report that 5-HT(1A) antagonists are effective to improve cognition. Aripiprazole, clozapine, olanzapine, perospirone, quetiapine risperidone, and ziprasidone are examples of atypical antipsychotic drugs which are either direct or indirect 5-HT(1A) agonists which have been shown to improve cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia. Further study is needed to determine the role of the 5-HT(1A) receptor to improve cognitive function in schizophrenia.     

Insights into the role of dopamine receptor systems in learning and memory

It is well established that learning and memory are complex processes involving and recruiting different brain modulatory neurotransmitter systems. Considerable evidence points to the involvement of dopamine in various aspects of cognition, and interest has been focused on investigating the clinical relevance of dopamine systems to age-related cognitive decline and manifestations of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. In the past decade or so, in spite of the molecular cloning of the five dopamine receptor subtypes, their specific roles in brain function remained inconclusive due to the lack of completely selective ligands that could distinguish between the members of the D1-like and D2-like dopamine receptor families. One of the most important advances in the field of dopamine research has been the generation of mutant mouse models permitting evaluation of the dopaminergic system using gene targeting technologies. These mouse models represent an important approach to explore the functional roles of closely related receptor subtypes. In this review, we present and discuss evidence on the role of dopamine receptors in different aspects of learning and memory at the cellular, molecular and behavioral levels. We compare evidence using conventional pharmacological, lesion or electrophysiological studies with results from mice with targeted deletions of different subtypes of dopamine receptor genes. We particularly focus on dopamine D1 and D2 receptors in an effort to delineate their specific roles in various aspects of cognitive function. We provide strong evidence, from our own recent work as well as others, that dopamine is part of the network that plays a very important role in cognitive function, and that although multiple dopamine receptor subtypes contribute to different aspects of learning and memory, the D1 receptor seems to play a more prominent role in mediating plasticity and specific aspects of cognitive function, including spatial learning and memory processes, reversal learning, extinction learning, and incentive learning.     

The role of 5-HT(1A) receptors in learning and memory

The ascending serotonin (5-HT) neurons innervate the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, septum and amygdala, all representing brain regions associated with various domains of cognition. The 5-HT innervation is diffuse and extensively arborized with few synaptic contacts, which indicates that 5-HT can affect a large number of neurons in a paracrine mode. Serotonin signaling is mediated by 14 receptor subtypes with different functional and transductional properties. The 5-HT(1A) subtype is of particular interest, since it is one of the main mediators of the action of 5-HT. Moreover, the 5-HT(1A) receptor regulates the activity of 5-HT neurons via autoreceptors, and it regulates the function of several neurotransmitter systems via postsynaptic receptors (heteroreceptors). This review assesses the pharmacological and genetic evidence that implicates the 5-HT(1A) receptor in learning and memory. The 5-HT(1A) receptors are in the position to influence the activity of glutamatergic, cholinergic and possibly GABAergic neurons in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and in the septohippocampal projection, thereby affecting declarative and non-declarative memory functions. Moreover, the 5-HT(1A) receptor regulates several transduction mechanisms such as kinases and immediate early genes implicated in memory formation. Based on studies in rodents the stimulation of 5-HT(1A) receptors generally produces learning impairments by interfering with memory-encoding mechanisms. In contrast, antagonists of 5-HT(1A) receptors facilitate certain types of memory by enhancing hippocampal/cortical cholinergic and/or glutamatergic neurotransmission. Some data also support a potential role for the 5-HT(1A) receptor in memory consolidation. Available results also implicate the 5-HT(1A) receptor in the retrieval of aversive or emotional memories, supporting an involvement in reconsolidation. The contribution of 5-HT(1A) receptors in cognitive impairments in various psychiatric disorders is still unclear. However, there is evidence that 5-HT(1A) receptors may play differential roles in normal brain function and in psychopathological states. Taken together, the evidence indicates that the 5-HT(1A) receptor is a target for novel therapeutic advances in several neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by various cognitive deficits.     

The effect of Ondansetron on memory in schizophrenic patients

It has been well established that patients with schizophrenia have impaired cognitive function on neuropsychological tasks related to memory. Previous studies also suggest serotonin's central role in memory. This double-blind crossover study aimed to explore the effect of Ondansetron, a selective serotonin 3 receptor (5-HT(3)) antagonist, on a variety of memory tasks in schizophrenic patients. Clozapine-treated schizophrenic patients in remission (N=21) were randomly treated with Ondansetron or placebo and then evaluated at three consecutive points. These evaluations included clinical measures (including Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia, Clinical Global Impression and Extrapyramidal Symptoms Rating Scale) and neuropsychological measures (including Digit Span, Paired Association, Rey-Osterich Complex Figure Test, Digit Symbol and the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Tests). Ondansetron, when compared with placebo, did not affect the above clinical measures and most of the neuropsychological tests. Short-term administration of Ondansetron, however, was associated with significantly improved visuo-spatial memory as measured by the Rey-Osterich Complex Figure Test. These preliminary results suggest Ondansetron's possible role in enhancement of memory function in schizophrenia.     

5-HT receptors and reward-related behaviour: a review

The brain's serotonin (5-HT) system is key in the regulation of reward-related behaviours, from eating and drinking to sexual activity. The complexity of studying this system is due, in part, to the fact that 5-HT acts at many receptor subtypes throughout the brain. The recent development of drugs with greater selectivity for individual receptor subtypes has allowed for rapid advancements in our understanding of this system. Use of these drugs in combination with animal models entailing selective reward measures (i.e. intracranial self-stimulation, drug self-administration, conditioned place preference) have resulted in a greater understanding of the pharmacology of reward-related processing and behaviour (particularly regarding drugs of abuse). The putative roles of each 5-HT receptor subtype in the pharmacology of reward are outlined and discussed here. It is concluded that the actions of 5-HT in reward are receptor subtype-dependent (and thus should not be generalized) and that all studied subtypes appear to have a unique profile which is determined by content (e.g. receptor function, localization - both throughout the brain and within the synapse) and context (e.g. type of behavioural paradigm, type of drug). Given evidence of altered reward-related processing and serotonergic function in numerous neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, and addiction, a clearer understanding of the role of 5-HT receptor subtypes in this context may lead to improved drug development and therapeutic approaches.     

Serotonergic mechanisms in schizophrenia: Evolution and current concepts

Serotonin (5-HT) was once thought to have a role in visual hallucinations based on the findings that lysergic acid diethylamide was found to be a serotonin agonist. This led to a search for endogenous indole hallucinogens in schizophrenia, which ultimately proved unsuccessful. Studies of 5-HT receptor subtypes opened up the issue in several ways, with the 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C, and 5-HT1A receptors seeming to be of greatest importance, and 5-HT6 and 5-HT7 receptors of secondary importance. Linkages between 5-HT, dopamine (DA), glutamate, acetylcholine, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, have provided some important leads as to how 5-HT may be involved in schizophrenia. It has been found that 5-HT2A rather than 5-HT2C receptor stimulation is the most likely basis for the hallucinogenic effects of lysergic acid diethylamide, but recent neurochemical and genetic studies have raised the possibility that the 5-HT2C receptor may also be important in psychosis based on its ability to regulate tonic dopaminergic function. The discovery that 5-HT2A receptor blockade was an important component of the action of clozapine and other atypical antipsychotic drugs also restored interest in a primary role of 5-HT2A receptors in the etiology of psychosis. 5-HT1A receptors also have been found to enhance DA release in the cortex and hippocampus and are primary factor in the regulation of DA release in both of these regions. Postmortem studies have found some evidence of non-drug-induced increased density of 5-HT1A receptors. Genetic studies are ongoing to link single nucleotide polymorphisms of the 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C, and 5-HT1A receptors to some schizophrenia phenotypes. It is likely that serotonergic function will become even more important in developing genetic and other markers for schizophrenia novel therapies, particularly for psychosis and cognition.     

Altered behavioral responses mediated by serotonin receptors in the genetically dystonic (dt) rat

The genetically dystonic (dt) rat is an animal model of dystonia that displays sustained abnormal movements that include: torticollis, clasping of the hindlimbs, rigidity of the limbs, and contortions of the trunk. Since serotonin (5-HT) has been shown to be involved in some animal models of movement disorders, the functional responsiveness of the 5-HT system in dt rats and phenotypical normal littermates was examined by administering 5-HT agonists selective for different receptor subtypes and observing behavioral responses associated with the activation of specific 5-HT receptor subtypes. The dt rats were 6-fold more sensitive to the ability of the 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) to produce the 5-HT behavioral syndrome. The dt rats demonstrated a diminished head-shaking response following administration of the 5-HT2 agonist 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOB). However, the dt rats also displayed significantly fewer head shakes following mechanical stimulation of the aural pinnae. The inability of the dt rats to demonstrate head-shaking behavior following stimulation of 5-HT2 receptors is probably due to the dt rat's difficulty in producing the motor responses involved in this behavioral response and do not reflect alterations in 5-HT2 receptor sensitivity. These results suggest that the 5-HT system, particularly 5-HT1A receptors, may have an integral role in the abnormal movements displayed by the genetically dystonic rat and movement disorders in general.     

5-HT<Subscript>6</Subscript> receptor antagonists as novel cognitive enhancing agents for Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating neurological condition characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive performance accompanied by behavioral and psychological syndromes, such as depression and psychosis. The neurochemical correlates of these clinical manifestations now appear to involve dysfunctions of multiple neurotransmitter pathways. Because of the extensive serotonergic denervation that has been observed in the AD brain and the important role played by serotonin (5-HT) in both cognition and behavioral control, this neurotransmitter system has become a focus of concerted research efforts to identify new treatments for AD. 5-HT exerts its diverse physiological and pharmacological effects through actions on multiple receptor subtypes. One of the newest members of this family is the 5-HT₆ receptor, a subtype localized almost exclusively in the CNS, predominating in brain regions associated with cognition and behavior. With the subsequent development of selective 5-HT₆ receptor antagonists, preclinical studies in rodents and primates have elucidated the function of this receptor subtype in more detail. It is increasingly clear that blockade of 5-HT₆ receptors leads to an improvement of cognitive performance in a wide variety of learning and memory paradigms and also results in anxiolytic and antidepressant-like activity. These actions are largely underpinned by enhancements of cholinergic, glutamatergic, noradrenergic, and dopaminergic neurotransmission, together with learning-associated neuronal remodeling. A preliminary report that the cognitive enhancing properties of a 5-HT₆ receptor antagonist (namely, SB-742457) extends into AD sufferers further highlights the therapeutic promise of this mechanistic approach.     

Effects of chronic 17beta-estradiol treatment on the serotonin 5-HT(1A) receptor mRNA and binding levels in the rat brain

Acute 17beta-estradiol treatment had been shown to downregulate the 5-HT(1A) receptor mRNA expression in limbic areas of the female rat brain. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of chronic 17beta-estradiol treatment on 5-HT(1A) receptor mRNA expression and 5-HT(1A) receptor binding in ovariectomized female rats. Using in situ hybridization histochemistry, no alterations were found on the 5-HT(1A) receptor mRNA levels after the estradiol treatment (2 weeks). Radioligand autoradiographic studies using the selective 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist [(3)H]WAY-100635 revealed reduced receptor binding in the amygdala, hippocampus, perirhinal cortex, and motor cortex after estradiol treatment, whereas no changes were observed in the piriform or retrosplenial cortex. Thus, the previous findings together with the present results indicate that estradiol-induced alterations in 5-HT(1A) receptor mRNA expression appears within hours, but diminishes with chronic treatment when significant changes on the receptor-protein level are apparent. The effects of estradiol treatment on the 5-HT(1A) receptor binding in the limbic areas suggest that estrogen can modulate functions such as learning, memory, cognition, emotional processing, and social behavior. Consequently, estradiol modulation of 5-HT(1A) receptor circuits might be a possible pathway for the estrogen influence in the expression of psychiatric and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, affective disorders, and schizophrenia.     

Phosphoinositide system-linked serotonin receptor subtypes and their pharmacological properties and clinical correlates.

Serotonergic neurotransmission represents a complex mechanism involving pre- and post-synaptic events and distinct 5-HT receptor subtypes. Serotonin (5-HT) receptors have been classified into several categories, and they are termed as 5-HT1, 5-HT2, 5-HT3, 5-HT4, 5-HT5, 5-HT6 and 5-HT7 type receptors. 5-HT1 receptors have been further subdivided into 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT1D, 5-HT1E and 5-HT1F. 5-HT2 receptors have been divided into 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B and 5-HT2C receptors. All 5-HT2 receptor subtypes are linked to the multifunctional phosphoinositide (PI) signalling system. 5-HT3 receptors are considered ion-gated receptors and are also linked to the PI signalling system by an unknown mechanism. The 5-HT2A receptor subtype is the most widely studied of the 5-HT receptors in psychiatric disorders (for example, suicide, depression and schizophrenia) as well as in relation to the mechanism of action of antidepressant drugs. The roles of 5-HT2C and 5-HT3 receptors in psychiatric disorders are less clear. These 5-HT receptors also play an important role in alcoholism. It has been shown that 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C and 5-HT3 antagonists cause attenuation of alcohol intake in animals and humans. However, the exact mechanisms are unknown. The recent cloning of the cDNAs for 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C and 5-HT3 receptors provides the opportunity to explore the molecular mechanisms responsible for the alterations in these receptors during illness as well as pharmacotherapy. This review article will focus on the current research into the pharmacological properties, molecular biology, and clinical correlates of 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C and 5-HT3 receptors.     

BDNF and 5-HT: a dynamic duo in age-related neuronal plasticity and neurodegenerative disorders

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) are known to regulate synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis and neuronal survival in the adult brain. These two signals co-regulate one another such that 5-HT stimulates the expression of BDNF, and BDNF enhances the growth and survival of 5-HT neurons. Impaired 5-HT and BDNF signaling is central to depression and anxiety disorders, but could also play important roles in the pathogenesis of several age-related disorders, including insulin resistance syndrome, Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease. Enhancement of BDNF signaling may be a key mechanism whereby cognitive stimulation, exercise, dietary restriction and antidepressant drugs preserve brain function during aging. Behavioral and pharmacological manipulations that enhance 5-HT and BDNF signaling could help promote healthy brain aging.     

Neural development is regulated by classical neurotransmitters: dopamine D2 receptor stimulation enhances neurite outgrowth.

The classical neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine are thought to be involved in the etiology or treatment of a variety of psychiatric disorders. Recent studies suggest that these neurotransmitters may also have roles as neural morphogens during brain development. Previously, we have demonstrated that stimulation of serotonin 5-HT1A receptors selectively inhibited neurite branching in an in vitro system (Sikich et al 1990). In the present study, the developmental role of dopamine D2 receptors in the control of neurite outgrowth has been investigated by quantitating the morphological response of cortical neurons to agonist stimulation in vitro. Cultures of fetal rat frontal, cortical neurons were shown to express both alternatively spliced forms of D2 receptor messenger RNA (mRNA). The larger mRNA form predominated (D2A444:D2A415 ratio of about 6:1). In a small but significant percentage of these neurons, culture in the presence of the D2 receptor selective agonist, quinpirole, resulted in a three-to ten-fold increase in the length of neurites and in the number of branch points per neurite. These effects were blocked by the D2 receptor antagonists eticlopride and spiperone. Early abnormalities in the stimulation of dopamine or serotonin receptor subtypes could lead to the types of neuroanatomical changes observed in studies of schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, and autism. These morphogenic effects of classical transmitters could unite neurodevelopmental and neurotransmitter theories of the etiology of severe psychiatric disorders.     

Effects of the 5-HT7 receptor antagonists SB-269970 and DR 4004 in autoshaping Pavlovian/instrumental learning task

There is an important debate regarding the functional role of the 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(7) receptor in memory systems. Hence, the objective of this paper is to investigate the function of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) in memory consolidation, utilising an autoshaping Pavlovian/instrumental learning test. Specific antagonists at 5-HT(1A) (WAY 100635) and 5-HT(7) (SB-269970 or DR 4004) receptors administered i.p. or s.c.) after training, significantly decreased the improvement of performance produced by the 5-HT(1A/7) agonist 8-OH-DPAT to levels lower than controls'. These same antagonists attenuated the decreased level of performance produced by mCPP, although they decrease the performance levels after p-chloroamphetamine (PCA) lesion of the 5-HT system, which has no effect on its own on the conditioned response. Moreover, SB-269970 or DR 4004 reversed amnesia induced by scopolamine and dizocilpine. These data confirm a role for 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(7) receptors in memory formation and support the hypothesis that serotonergic, cholinergic, and glutamatergic systems interact in cognitively impaired animals. These findings support a potential role for both 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(7) receptors in the pathophysiology and/or treatment of schizophrenia, cognitive deficits and the mechanism of action of atypical antipsychotic drugs.     

Allelic variants of the serotonin(2C) receptor and neuroendocrinological responses to the serotonin(2C) receptor agonist m-chlorophenylpiperazine in healthy male volunteers

The neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) possesses several receptors and their subtypes, some of which are polymorphic, such as the 5-HT(2C) receptor. The latter has been implicated in the control of neuroendocrine function, and has been discussed in the pathophysiology and pharmacotherapy of psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder and bipolar affective disorder. To investigate whether the 5-HT(2C) receptor polymorphism contributes to the variation of neuroendocrinological responses elicited by activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, we performed an m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP) challenge and monitored m-CPP and ACTH, cortisol and prolactin plasma levels in 16 healthy male volunteers carrying the common 5-HT(2C)-cys-23 receptor gene and 16 healthy male volunteers carrying the less frequent 5-HT(2C)-ser-23 receptor gene. The 5-HT(2C) polymorphism contributed little to the variation of the scores regarding hormonal responses of ACTH, cortisol and prolactin to the m-CPP challenge. The group carrying the rare 5-HT(2C)-ser-23 receptor gene showed a faster and stronger but not statistically significant ACTH response to the challenge. However, it is noteworthy that there is a 'medium' effect size of the ACTH response according to the conventions of Cohen, and thus comparable to other studies. Both groups show similar major scores in the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI).     

New insights into serotonin 5-HT4 receptors : a novel therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease?

The serotonin 5-HT4 receptor mediates many physiological effects in the central nervous system. The recent molecular identification of 5-HT4 receptors and the development of selective 5-HT4 receptor ligands have led to many important new insights into the signalling pathways and the physiological roles of these G protein-coupled-receptors in neurones. With respect to neurodegenerative disorders, it is suggested that 5-HT4 agonists may represent a new avenue for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. This mini-review will focus on recent in vitro and in vivo pharmacological and biochemical studies showing the involvement of 5-HT4 receptors in cognitive processes and the amyloid precursor protein processing. The potential use of 5-HT4 agonists for the treatment of AD will be discussed.     

Learning and memory in 5-HT(1A)-receptor mutant mice

The serotonin 1A (5-HT(1A))-receptor is involved in a wide range of physiological functions, but has also been implicated in the pathophysiology of anxiety disorders and depression. Although the 5-HT(1A)-receptor is one of the best described receptor subtypes of the serotonergic system, its complex distribution pattern, pre- and postsynaptic localisation, and its impact on various neurotransmitters aggravate the attribution of 5-HT(1A)-agonistic effects to behavioural outcomes. The role of 5-HT(1A)-receptors for cognitive processes seems undisputed. However, the exact involvement of pre- and postsynaptic sites remains unexplained. Genetically modified animals are a complementary approach to pharmacological studies for further investigations of the role of the 5-HT(1A)-receptor. Next to 5-HT(1A)-receptor knockout mice, two transgenic mouse lines exist that either overexpress the 5-HT(1A)-receptor transiently or permanently. The latter mouse line stands out due to the fact that a distinct overexpression is primarily found in the outer cortical layers and hippocampus, both projection areas of serotonergic neurons. Here, we discuss the findings obtained from 5-HT(1A)-receptor knockout and overexpressing mice concerning their learning and memory abilities.