serotonin
Sign in to saveSerotonin (), also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a monoamine neurotransmitter with a wide range of functions in both the central nervous system (CNS) and also peripheral tissues. It is involved in mood, cognition, reward, learning, memory, and physiological processes such as vomiting and vasoconstriction. In the CNS, serotonin regulates mood, appetite, and sleep.
AI overview
Serotonin is a chemical messenger in your brain and body that affects mood, sleep, appetite, learning, and memory, along with various physical processes. It's widely studied because problems with serotonin levels are thought to contribute to conditions like depression, which is why many psychiatric medications aim to adjust how much serotonin is available in the brain.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Drug.IUPAC_name
- 3-(2-Aminoethyl)-1H-indol-5-ol
- Drug.synonyms
- 5-HT, 5-Hydroxytryptamine, Enteramine, Thrombocytin, 3-(β-Aminoethyl)-5-hydroxyl solution, Thrombotonin
- Drug.image
- Serotonin-2D-skeletal.svg
- Drug.image_class
- skin-invert-image
- Drug.alt
- Skeletal formula of serotonin
- Drug.image2
- Serotonin-Spartan-HF-based-on-xtal-3D-balls-web.png
- Drug.image_class2
- bg-transparent
- Drug.alt2
- Ball-and-stick model of the serotonin molecule
- Drug.source_tissues
- raphe nuclei, enterochromaffin cells
- Drug.target_tissues
- system-wide
- Drug.receptors
- 5-HT1, 5-HT2, 5-HT3, 5-HT4, 5-HT5, 5-HT6, 5-HT7
- Drug.agonists
Article
64 sectionsContents
- Molecular structure
- Crystal structure
- Biological role
- Cellular effects
- Receptors
- Termination
- Serotonylation
- Nervous system
- Ultrastructure and function
- Microanatomy
- Outside the nervous system
- Digestive tract (emetic)
- Lungs
- Skin
- Bone metabolism
- Organ development
- Cardiovascular growth factor
- Adipose tissue
- Pharmacology
- Mechanism of action
- Antidepressants
- Anxiolytics
- Antipsychotics
- Antimigraine agents
- Oxytocics
- Antiemetics
- Appetite suppressants
- Anticonvulsants
- Psychedelics
- Entactogens
- Serotonin syndrome
- Cardiac fibrosis and other fibroses
- Comparative biology and evolution
- Unicellular organisms
- Edible plants and mushrooms
- Invertebrates
- Nematodes
- Decapods
- In venoms
- Insects
- Acrididae
- Role in insecticides
- Hymenopterans
- Dipterans
- Vertebrates
- 5-HT system in vertebrates
- Dogs / canine species
- Teleost fish
- Mice
- Behavior
- Social interaction
- Response to stimuli
- Mood
- Growth and reproduction
- Aging and age-related phenotypes
- Biochemical mechanisms
- Biosynthesis
- Analytical chemistry
- History and etymology
- Effects in humans
- Notes
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Serotonin (), also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a monoamine neurotransmitter with a wide range of functions in both the central nervous system (CNS) and also peripheral tissues. It is involved in mood, cognition, reward, learning, memory, and physiological processes such as vomiting and vasoconstriction. In the CNS, serotonin regulates mood, appetite, and sleep.
Most of the body's serotonin—about 90%—is synthesized in the gastrointestinal tract by enterochromaffin cells, where it regulates intestinal movements. It is also produced in smaller amounts in the brainstem's raphe nuclei, the skin's Merkel cells, pulmonary neuroendocrine cells, and taste receptor cells of the tongue. Once secreted, serotonin is taken up by platelets in the blood, which release it during clotting to promote vasoconstriction and platelet aggregation. Around 8% of the body's serotonin is stored in platelets, and 1–2% is found in the CNS.