The Role of 5-HT Systems on Memory and Dysfunctional Memory

Book excerpt: Drugs acting through 5-HT (5-hydroxytryptamine, or serotonin) systems modulate memory and its alterations, but the mechanisms by which they do so are poorly understood. Agonists and antagonists for 5-HT receptors, as well as serotonin uptake inhibitors, present promnesic (memory-promoting) and/or anti-amnesic effects under different conditions, and 5-HT receptors are also associated with neural changes. The Role of 5-HT Systems on Memory and Dysfunctional Memory: Emergent Targets for Memory Formation and Memory Alterations reviews and summarizes the most recent research related to 5-HT drugs and the mechanisms by which they effect alterations in memory. This latest evidence is reviewed in the context of memory deficits related to brain disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, post-stroke cognitive dysfunctions, Parkinson's disease, and infection-induced memory impairments. Written by an expert in the field of memory, The Role of 5-HT Systems on Memory and Dysfunctional Memory provides an introduction to the latest research on 5-HT receptors and their contributions to the physiological and pharmacological basis of memory. - Examines and summarizes the recent advances in drugs that act through the 5-HT systems - Reviews findings in the context of brain disorders that involve memory deficits - Covers emergent targets for memory formation and memory alterations