Serotonin receptor-specific mediation of antidepressant treatment effects in depressed patients

Summary

New developments in pharmacology and molecular biology have revealed over 18 different serotonin subtype receptors. The function of these receptors for the most part is only beginning to be understood Recendy we have been examining different 5-HT receptor-specific responses in depressed patients before and after antidepressant therapy. This paper will review some conclusions from this work within the context of what is known about the human serotonin transporter, the 5-HT_IA receptor, and the 5-HT₂ receptor subtypes. Information on newly identified serotonin receptor subtypes will also be reviewed briefly within the context of these receptors’ potential role in determining whether or not a depressed patient may respond to antidepressant therapy.