Serotonin News and Research

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Serotonin is one of several chemical messengers in the brain, or neurotransmitters, which help brain cells communicate with one another. Among many other functions, serotonin is involved in regulating mood. Problems with making or using the right amount of serotonin have been linked to many mental disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, autism, and schizophrenia.

Mice Studies Shed Light on Serotonin and Memory

Memory regulation in humans and animal models is regulated by the serotonin 2C receptor in the brain, according to research from Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, and affiliated institutions.

1 Jul 2024

Water-Soluble Bacterial Enzyme Could Enable Rapid Screening of Potential Antibiotics

A bacterial enzyme called histidine kinase is a promising target for new classes of antibiotics. However, it has been difficult to develop drugs that target this enzyme, because it is a "hydrophobic" protein that loses its structure once removed from its normal location in the cell membrane.

11 Jun 2024

Baby Gut Bacteria Found to Play Crucial Role in Immune Development

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have shown that certain bacteria invade the stomach soon after birth and produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps teach gut immune cells.

18 Mar 2024

Scientists Unlock the Structure of Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2

Neurons talk to each other using chemical signals called neurotransmitters. Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have drawn on structural biology expertise to determine structures of vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), a key component of neuronal communication.

2 Nov 2023

Male and Female Rats Show Different Brain Responses to Enriched Environment

Neurobiologists from Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University found out differences of educability level and processes of formation of spatial memory of adult male and female rats, that live together in large cages and played with toys.

25 Jul 2023

New Mechanism to Maintain Astrocyte-Neuron Communication

Neurons and astrocytes are the two types of cells required by the brain to enjoy the scent of morning coffee and freshly baked cookies or to discern the warning smell of something burning.

16 Jun 2023

Laxative Prucalopride can Have Important Effects in the Brain Circuits Crucial for Learning and Memory

Cognitive deficits accompany mood disorders and other psychiatric conditions, often with debilitating effects.

14 Jun 2023

Brain-Wide Mapping Reveals How Serotonin Affects Animal Behavior

Because serotonin is one of the primary chemicals the brain uses to influence mood and behavior, it is also the most common target of psychiatric drugs.

16 May 2023

Revealing the Conserved Role of Serotonin in Maintaining Germline Quality

Worms may not be depressed. However, this does not prevent them from benefiting from antidepressants.

5 May 2023

First molecular images of olfaction sets the stage to create novel smells

Breaking a longstanding impasse in our understanding of olfaction, scientists at UC San Francisco (UCSF) have created the first molecular-level, 3D picture of how an odor molecule activates a human odorant receptor, a crucial step in deciphering the sense of smell.

16 Mar 2023

Location is the key for psychedelic drugs to work

Location, location, location is the key for psychedelic drugs that could treat mental illness by rapidly rebuilding connections between nerve cells.

17 Feb 2023

Common food dye can be a potential dietary trigger for IBDs, study shows

Long-term consumption of Allura Red food dye can be a potential trigger of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, says McMaster University's Waliul Khan.

21 Dec 2022

The mechanism behind the satiating effect of milk protein

Quark and cheese are primarily casein-based in terms of protein content. The stomach’s digestion of casein results in the production of protein fragments (peptides) that have an unpleasant flavor, despite casein itself not having a bitter flavor.

13 Oct 2022

Genomics plays a major role in psychedelic drugs behavior

It can be crippling for those who suffer from conditions like depression, anxiety, and cluster headaches. In clinical research, psychedelic substances have demonstrated benefits as therapies for several ailments, but not in all cases.

1 Aug 2022

Trial assesses the impact of Mediterranean diet on depression symptoms in young men

Depression is a common mental health condition that affects approximately 1 million Australians each year. It is a significant risk factor for suicide, the leading cause of death in young adults.

10 May 2022

Three proteins as potential new therapeutic targets in movement disorders

Three members of a family of proteins have been identified that are important to helping us fine tune the activity of brain chemicals which enable us to walk or stand at will, scientists report.

11 Feb 2022

Largest genome study identifies new genetic risk factors for migraine

An international consortium of leading migraine scientists identified more than 120 regions of the genome that are connected to risk of migraine.

4 Feb 2022

Researchers build rapid-acting antidepressant compounds that are non-hallucinogenic

The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 280 million people worldwide suffer from depression.

2 Feb 2022

Researchers discover that existing drug can enhance memory

A group of scientists identified that a prevailing drug for treating constipation might boost an individual’s capability to think with better clarity.

4 Oct 2021

Gene therapy may be safe and effective in treating AADC deficiency

A new study published in Nature Communications suggests that gene therapy delivered into the brain may be safe and effective in treating aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency.

19 Jul 2021