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Alcohol and the 5-HT3 Receptor

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The “Drunken” Synapse

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Abstract

Studies performed over the last ten years indicate that the 5-hydroxytryptamine3 (5- HT3) receptor for the neurotransmitter serotonin is involved in the acute and chronic actions of alcohol (see Grant, 1995 for review). Furthermore, experiments at the cellular and molecular level have indicated that ethanol and other alcohols may have direct actions on this ligand-gated ion channel (Lovinger, 1991a; Lovinger and Zhou, 1994; Machu and Harris, 1994; Barann et al., 1995). In this chapter, I will review this body of information. In addition, I will provide a rationale for examining the 5-HT3 receptor not only to understand alcohol actions on this protein, but to use the receptor as a model protein for understanding alcohol effects on a larger group of related ligand-gated ion channels that are important targets for alcohol actions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical School, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232-0615, USA

    David M. Lovinger & Qing Zhou

Authors
  1. David M. Lovinger
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  2. Qing Zhou
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Yuan Liu  & Walter A. Hunt  & 

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© 1999 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Lovinger, D.M., Zhou, Q. (1999). Alcohol and the 5-HT3 Receptor. In: Liu, Y., Hunt, W.A. (eds) The “Drunken” Synapse. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4739-6_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4739-6_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7148-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-4739-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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