Serotonin, or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a neurotransmitter with an integral physiological role in the human body; it regulates various activities, including behavior, mood, memory, and gastrointestinal homeostasis. Serotonin is synthesized in the raphe nuclei of the brainstem and the enterochromaffin cells of the intestinal mucosa.
Serotonin is a primary treatment target for many psychiatric and neurological disorders associated with decreased CNS and plasma serotonin concentration, such as major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety disorders.
Other neurotransmitters (such as norepinephrine and dopamine) are also targets of treatment for the pathologies mentioned above; however, therapies that affect serotonin are often considered first-line in pharmacologic management in addition to other interventions such as lifestyle changes, physical exercise, and psychotherapy.
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