5-HT system and cognition

The study of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) system has benefited from the identification, classification and cloning of multiple 5-HT receptors (S-HT1 to 5-HT7). Growing evidence suggests that 5-HT is important in learning and memory and all its receptors might be implicated in this. Actually, 5-HT pathways, 5-HT reuptake site/transporter complex and 5-HT receptors show regional distribution in brain areas implicated in learning and memory. Likewise, the stimulation or blockade of presynaptic 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT2A/2C and 5-HT3 receptors, postsynaptic 5-HT2B/2C and 5-HT4 receptors and 5-HT uptake/transporter sites modulate these processes. Available evidence strongly suggests that the 5-HT system may be important in normal function, the treatment and/or pathogenesis of cognitive disorders. Further investigation will help to specify the 5-HT system nature involvement in cognitive processes, pharmacotherapies, their mechanisms and action sites and to determine under which conditions they could operate. In this regard, it is probable that selective drugs with agonists, neutral antagonist, agonists or inverse agonist properties for 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B/1D, 5-HT2A/2B/2C, 5-HT4 and 5-HT7 receptors could constitute a new therapeutic opportunity for learning and memory alterations. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.