title: [Role of brain 5-HT7 receptors as a functional molecule involved in the development of stress adaptation].
abstract: A growing body of evidence suggests that the brain serotonin (5-HT) nervous system is an important component related to the etiology as well as the treatment of stress-related psychiatric disorders. Molecular cloning studies have revealed the existence of 14 different genes, each encoding a distinct 5-HT receptor subtype. The 5-HT7 receptor is the most recently identified member of the 5-HT receptor subtypes, and the physiological role of this receptor is still unknown. Recently, either selective agonists or antagonists for 5-HT7 receptors, as well as 5-HT7 receptor knockout mice, have been developed, and these have recently been used as the experimental tools for determining the actual function of 5-HT7 receptors. The first half of the present article introduces the reports that have examined the role of the 5-HT7 receptor on emotional regulation. On the other hand, it has been indicated that the ability to adapt to stress is an important defensive function of a living body, and impairment of this ability may contribute to some stress-related disorders. Thus, the examination of brain mechanisms involved in stress adaptation could help to pave the way for new therapeutic strategies for stress-related psychiatric disorders. The second half of the present article introduces our recent studies focusing on the relationship between brain 5-HT7 receptors and the mechanisms of stress adaptation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, International University of Health and Welfare, 2600-1 Kita-kanemaru, Otawara, 324-8501 Japan. mtsuji@iuhw.ac.jp
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyagawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeda
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; C104425:serotonin 7 receptor