In the brain, serotonin synthesis occurs in the raphe nuclei (as well as the pineal gland to a small extent). Serotonin, also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT, is an extremely important neurotransmitter molecule. Yet, genetically engineered mice whose brains do not produce serotonin survive and develop somewhat normally, except that they are really aggressive. This video focuses on 5-hydroxytryptamine synthesis and the neurobiological outcomes of eliminating serotonin from the brain.
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The neuroscience of serotonin is complex. That’s why I’ve created a playlist on the neurobiology of the serotonin system. Link to the rest of the serotonin videos: [ Ссылка ]
Chapters:
00:00 Serotonin (also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT) is a neurotransmitter molecule synthesized in your brain.
00:15 The focus of this video (serotonin synthesis steps and consequences of eliminating serotonin from the brain)
00:40 Check out my other videos on neuroscience
00:51 Part 1: Where in the brain is serotonin synthesized?
01:30 The raphe nuclei
01:57 Shoutout to JJ Medicine’s video on serotonin and melatonin synthesis
02:20 Part 2: Synthesis - Tryptophan (an essential amino acid) is the precursor to serotonin
02:59 Tryptophan is made into 5-HTP, catalyzed by the TPH enzyme (tryptophan hydroxylase)
03:30 5-HTP is made into 5-HT (serotonin), catalyzed by aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase
03:58 Serotonin is packaged into vesicles by the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT)
04:14 Synaptic transmission overview
04:35 Serotonin is cleaned out of the synapse by reuptake pumps and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA-A)
05:17 Serotonin is chemically transformed into melatonin in the pineal gland
05:59 Part 2: What happens when the brain cannot produce serotonin?
06:25 How researchers eliminated serotonin from the brain (disrupted the TPH2 gene)
06:55 Adult mouse brains without serotonin
07:50 Restoring serotonin to the brain by injecting 5-HTP
08:50 Behavioral outcomes for mice that never had any serotonin in their brains
11:25 Please sign up for the video newsletter! And the podcast!
12:03 Summary and conclusion
13:07 Check out the other videos in this playlist!
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Sources Cited:
Sharp, T., & Barnes, N. M. (2020). Central 5-HT receptors and their function; present and future. Neuropharmacology, 177, 108155. [ Ссылка ]
Dingman M. Know Your Brain: Raphe Nuclei. Neuroscientifically Challenged. [ Ссылка ]. Published October 27, 2017.
Di Giovanni, G., & De Deurwaerdère, P. (2020). Serotonin research: Crossing scales and boundaries. [ Ссылка ]
Hoyer, D. (2020). Targeting the 5-HT system: Potential side effects. Neuropharmacology, 108233. [ Ссылка ]
Mosienko, V., Bader, M., & Alenina, N. (2020). The serotonin-free brain: behavioral consequences of Tph2 deficiency in animal models. In Handbook of Behavioral Neuroscience (Vol. 31, pp. 601-607). Elsevier. [ Ссылка ]
Carhart-Harris, R. L., & Nutt, D. J. (2017). Serotonin and brain function: a tale of two receptors. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 31(9), 1091-1120. [ Ссылка ]
Bacqué-Cazenave, J., Bharatiya, R., Barrière, G., Delbecque, J. P., Bouguiyoud, N., Di Giovanni, G., ... & De Deurwaerdère, P. (2020). Serotonin in animal cognition and behavior. International journal of molecular sciences, 21(5), 1649. [ Ссылка ]
Carvajal-Oliveros, A., & Campusano, J. M. (2021). Studying the Contribution of Serotonin to Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Can This Fly?. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 14, 262. [ Ссылка ]
JJ Medicine. “Serotonin and Melatonin Synthesis | Tryptophan Metabolism” [ Ссылка ].
