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Neuromodulatory Effects of Serotonin

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 July 2024 | Viewed by 3572

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Serotonin in the central nervous system has been recognized as an important neurotransmitter and neuromodulator which regulates various physiological functions, such as pain sensation, cognition, and emotions like fear, anxiety, and depression. Serotonin implements many complex functions in the body through its widespread and diverse receptors.

Current research activities have found the association of chronic pain and anxiety with synaptic plasticity in the anterior cingulate cortex and the spinal cord. Serotonin shows the multiple modulatory effects of synaptic transmission and plasticity in those structures, including activation, inhibition, and biphasic actions.

GBM, or glioblastoma multiforme, is a brain tumor which is often associated with epileptic seizures. Recent research suggests that neurotransmitters and neuromodulators such as Serotonin, found in the tumor microenvironment, affect the excitability, proliferation, quiescence, and differentiation of neurons, glial cells, and neural stem cells, playing a significant role in various stages of GBMs.

This Special Issue aims to provide selected contributions on advances in the neuromodulatory effects of Serotonin.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Large-scale neuromodulation of Serotonin receptor networks.
  • Effects of persistent inward currents on individual motor unit discharge patterns.
  • Effects of Serotonin on retinal inputs in the thalamus.
  • Control of complex adaptive dynamics in the brain.
  • Chronic pain and injury-related anxiety.
  • Peripheral nerve stimulation.
  • Transcranial direct-current stimulation in major depressive disorder.
  • Effects of serotonin on fear learning.
  • Distribution of subcortical neuromodulatory afferents.
  • Emotional memory processing during REM sleep.
  • Role of Serotonin in Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM).

Dr. Yasemin M. Akay
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • neuromodulation
  • Serotonin
  • pain research
  • cognition
  • emotions
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • GBM

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 1558 KiB  
Article
Gene–Environment Interactions in Irrational Beliefs: The Roles of Childhood Adversity and Multiple Candidate Genes
by Adina Chiș, Lia-Ecaterina Oltean, Mirela Bîlc, Romana Vulturar, Radu Șoflău, Daniel David, Aurora Szentágotai-Tătar and Andrei C. Miu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(8), 4206; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25084206 - 10 Apr 2024
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Abstract
Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the view that maladaptive thinking is the causal mechanism of mental disorders. While this view is supported by extensive evidence, very limited work has addressed the factors that contribute to the development of maladaptive thinking. The present [...] Read more.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the view that maladaptive thinking is the causal mechanism of mental disorders. While this view is supported by extensive evidence, very limited work has addressed the factors that contribute to the development of maladaptive thinking. The present study aimed to uncover interactions between childhood maltreatment and multiple genetic differences in irrational beliefs. Childhood maltreatment and irrational beliefs were assessed using multiple self-report instruments in a sample of healthy volunteers (N = 452). Eighteen single-nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped in six candidate genes related to neurotransmitter function (COMT; SLC6A4; OXTR), neurotrophic factors (BDNF), and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (NR3C1; CRHR1). Gene–environment interactions (G×E) were first explored in models that employed one measure of childhood maltreatment and one measure of irrational beliefs. These effects were then followed up in models in which either the childhood maltreatment measure, the irrational belief measure, or both were substituted by parallel measures. Consistent results across models indicated that childhood maltreatment was positively associated with irrational beliefs, and these relations were significantly influenced by COMT rs165774 and OXTR rs53576. These results remain preliminary until independent replication, but they represent the best available evidence to date on G×E in a fundamental mechanism of psychopathology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neuromodulatory Effects of Serotonin)
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22 pages, 6408 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Influence of Morphine and Cocaine on the Mesolimbic Pathway Using a Novel Microimaging Platform
by Austin Ganaway, Kousuke Tatsuta, Virgil Christian Garcia Castillo, Ryoma Okada, Yoshinori Sunaga, Yasumi Ohta, Jun Ohta, Masahiro Ohsawa, Metin Akay and Yasemin M. Akay
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(22), 16303; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242216303 - 14 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 935
Abstract
Dopamine (DA)’s relationship with addiction is complex, and the related pathways in the mesocorticolimbic system are used to deliver DA, regulating both behavioral and perceptual actions. Specifically, the mesolimbic pathway connecting the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is crucial [...] Read more.
Dopamine (DA)’s relationship with addiction is complex, and the related pathways in the mesocorticolimbic system are used to deliver DA, regulating both behavioral and perceptual actions. Specifically, the mesolimbic pathway connecting the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is crucial in regulating memory, emotion, motivation, and behavior due to its responsibility to modulate dopamine. To better investigate the relationship between DA and addiction, more advanced mapping methods are necessary to monitor its production and propagation accurately and efficiently. In this study, we incorporate dLight1.2 adeno-associated virus (AAV) into our latest CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) imaging platform to investigate the effects of two pharmacological substances, morphine and cocaine, in the NAc using adult mice. By implanting our self-fabricated CMOS imaging device into the deep brain, fluorescence imaging of the NAc using the dLight1.2 AAV allows for the visualization of DA molecules delivered from the VTA in real time. Our results suggest that changes in extracellular DA can be observed with this adapted system, showing potential for new applications and methods for approaching addiction studies. Additionally, we can identify the unique characteristic trend of DA release for both morphine and cocaine, further validating the underlying biochemical mechanisms used to modulate dopaminergic activation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neuromodulatory Effects of Serotonin)
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Review

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15 pages, 940 KiB  
Review
Revisiting the Role of Serotonin in Sleep-Disordered Breathing
by O Aung, Mateus R. Amorim, David Mendelowitz and Vsevolod Y. Polotsky
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(3), 1483; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25031483 - 25 Jan 2024
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Abstract
Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a ubiquitous neuro-modulator–transmitter that acts in the central nervous system, playing a major role in the control of breathing and other physiological functions. The midbrain, pons, and medulla regions contain several serotonergic nuclei with distinct physiological roles, including [...] Read more.
Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a ubiquitous neuro-modulator–transmitter that acts in the central nervous system, playing a major role in the control of breathing and other physiological functions. The midbrain, pons, and medulla regions contain several serotonergic nuclei with distinct physiological roles, including regulating the hypercapnic ventilatory response, upper airway patency, and sleep–wake states. Obesity is a major risk factor in the development of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), recurrent closure of the upper airway during sleep, and obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS), a condition characterized by daytime hypercapnia and hypoventilation during sleep. Approximately 936 million adults have OSA, and 32 million have OHS worldwide. 5-HT acts on 5-HT receptor subtypes that modulate neural control of breathing and upper airway patency. This article reviews the role of 5-HT in SDB and the current advances in 5-HT-targeted treatments for SDB. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neuromodulatory Effects of Serotonin)
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