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Is Serotonin Involved in the Pathogenesis of Schizophrenia?

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Serotonin

Part of the book series: Medical Science Symposia Series ((MSSS,volume 5))

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Abstract

Though one of the first hypotheses in modern biological psychiatry proposed a relationship between serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) dysfunction in the brain and schizophrenia, work in this field was kept simmering once the neuroleptics with their strong impact on dopaminergic functioning were introduced. Recently, however, evidence has been found that blockage of certain populations of 5-HT receptors may result in antipsychotic effects. Ritanserin, a 5-HT, receptor blocker was reported to possess antipsychotic properties. Risperidone and clozapine, combined 5-HT, and dopamine (DA)2 receptor blockers, are probably superior to classical neuroleptics. The antipsychotic potential of 5-HT, receptor antagonists was inferred from animal experiments and the first human data are encouraging. These findings justify the question whether in schizophrenic patients 5-HT disturbances do occur.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Professor and Chairman Academic Psychiatric Center University of Limburg, Maastricht, P. O. Box 1918, Netherlands

    H. M. Van Praag

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  1. H. M. Van Praag
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA

    P. M. Vanhoutte

  2. Department of Pharmacology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    P. R. Saxena

  3. Institute of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    R. Paoletti

  4. University of Modena, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Modena, Italy

    N. Brunello

  5. Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Foundation, Houston, Texas, USA

    A. S. Jackson (Assistant Editor) (Assistant Editor)

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© 1993 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Van Praag, H.M. (1993). Is Serotonin Involved in the Pathogenesis of Schizophrenia?. In: Vanhoutte, P.M., Saxena, P.R., Paoletti, R., Brunello, N., Jackson, A.S. (eds) Serotonin. Medical Science Symposia Series, vol 5. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1920-7_33

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1920-7_33

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  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4849-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-1920-7

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