The role of serotonin in the actions of psychostimulants: molecular and pharmacological analyses.
Cocaine is a highly abused psychostimulant which is a local anesthetic and inhibitor of the reuptake of dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE). This manuscript details a brief summary and the primary conclusions of several presentations geared to present recent pharmacological analyses of the interaction of cocaine with 5-HT systems. These data illustrate the complexity of actions for cocaine in the brain and emphasize that, to fully understand the mechanisms which underlie its potent behavioural effects, the impact of this drug on 5-HT function as well as the interactions between 5-HT and the function of DA mesolimbic pathways must be considered.
Cunningham
K A
KA
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-1031, USA. cunningham@beach.utmb.edu
Bradberry
C W
CW
Chang
A S
AS
Reith
M E
ME
D000818:Animals; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012701:Serotonin; D003042:Cocaine