Serotonergic or
serotoninergic means "related to the
neurotransmitterNeurotransmitters are endogenous chemicals which relay, amplify, and modulate signals between a neuron and another cell. Neurotransmitters are packaged into synaptic vesicles that cluster beneath the membrane on the presynaptic side of a synapse, and are released into the synaptic cleft, where they...
serotoninSerotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter. It is found extensively in the gastrointestinal tract of animals, and about 80 to 90 percent of the human body's total serotonin is located in the enterochromaffin cells in the gut, where it is used to regulate intestinal movements...
". A synapse is
serotonergic if it uses serotonin as its neurotransmitter. A substance is serotonergic if it is capable of producing, altering, or releasing
serotoninSerotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter. It is found extensively in the gastrointestinal tract of animals, and about 80 to 90 percent of the human body's total serotonin is located in the enterochromaffin cells in the gut, where it is used to regulate intestinal movements...
.
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Serotonergic or
serotoninergic means "related to the
neurotransmitterNeurotransmitters are endogenous chemicals which relay, amplify, and modulate signals between a neuron and another cell. Neurotransmitters are packaged into synaptic vesicles that cluster beneath the membrane on the presynaptic side of a synapse, and are released into the synaptic cleft, where they...
serotoninSerotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter. It is found extensively in the gastrointestinal tract of animals, and about 80 to 90 percent of the human body's total serotonin is located in the enterochromaffin cells in the gut, where it is used to regulate intestinal movements...
". A synapse is
serotonergic if it uses serotonin as its neurotransmitter. A substance is serotonergic if it is capable of producing, altering, or releasing
serotoninSerotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter. It is found extensively in the gastrointestinal tract of animals, and about 80 to 90 percent of the human body's total serotonin is located in the enterochromaffin cells in the gut, where it is used to regulate intestinal movements...
.
A
serotonergic, or
serotonergic agent, is any chemical which functions to enhance the effects mediated by serotonin in the
central nervous systemThe central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that functions to coordinate the activity of all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all animals more advanced than sponges or jellyfish. In vertebrates, the central nervous system is enclosed in the meninges. It contains...
, and they include the following classes of chemicals:
- Serotonin precursors (such as tryptophan
Tryptophan is one of the 20 standard amino acids, as well as an essential amino acid in the human diet. It is encoded in the standard genetic code as the codon UGG...
and 5-HTP5-Hydroxytryptophan is a naturally occurring amino acid, a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin and an intermediate in tryptophan metabolism. It is marketed in the United States and other countries as a dietary supplement for use as an antidepressant, appetite suppressant, and sleep aid...
)
- Cofactor
A cofactor is a non-protein chemical compound that is bound to a protein and is required for the protein's biological activity. These proteins are commonly enzymes and cofactors can be considered "helper molecules/ions" that assist in biochemical transformations...
s required in the body's production of serotonin
- Serotonergic enzyme
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process are called substrates, and the enzyme converts them into different molecules, called the products. Almost all processes in a biological cell need enzymes to occur at...
s
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitor are a class of compounds typically used as antidepressants in the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders, and some personality disorders...
- A common class of serotonergic antidepressants
- Noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant
Noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants are a class of psychoactive drugs used primarily as antidepressants. They act by antagonizing various adrenergic and serotonin receptors, of which typically consist of α1-adrenergic and/or α2-adrenergic, and...
- Another class of serotonergic antidepressants
- serotonergic psychedelics - The serotonergic psychedelic drugs
A psychedelic substance is a psychoactive drug whose primary action is to alter the cognition and perception of the mind. Psychedelics are part of a wider class of psychoactive drugs known as hallucinogens, which also includes related substances such as dissociatives and deliriants...