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Pharmacological Modulation of the Serotonergic System: an Overview of the Effects on Normal and Pathological Sleep

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Serotonin

Part of the book series: Medical Science Symposia Series ((MSSS,volume 5))

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Abstract

Serotonergic sleep regulation has been studied through the use of a number of relatively specific agonists and antagonists at different serotonergic receptors and subtypes. An overview of the currently available data indicates that 5-HT3receptors have probably no major influence on sleep regulation. Both human and animal data on agonists of the 5-HT,, receptor subtype point to a possible role in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep regulation. A functional role of 5-HT,, receptors in arousal mechanisms is suggested by animal data but was not confirmed in man. 5-HT2and/or 5-HT,, receptors are clearly mediating the inhibitory control of serotonin on deep slow wave sleep (SWS). Consequently, consistent sleep promoting effects have been observed in normal and pathological conditions after treatment with5-HT2ilcantagonists such as ritanserin. The potential of this drug to alter the preference for different drugs of abuse might be related to the fact that it could normalize disturbed sleep during withdrawal from chronic cocaine treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Janssen Research Foundation Turnhoutseweg, 30 B-2340, Beerse, Belgium

    C. Dugovic & G. H. C. Clincke

Authors
  1. C. Dugovic
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  2. G. H. C. Clincke
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA

    P. M. Vanhoutte

  2. Department of Pharmacology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    P. R. Saxena

  3. Institute of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    R. Paoletti

  4. University of Modena, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Modena, Italy

    N. Brunello

  5. Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Foundation, Houston, Texas, USA

    A. S. Jackson (Assistant Editor) (Assistant Editor)

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© 1993 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Dugovic, C., Clincke, G.H.C. (1993). Pharmacological Modulation of the Serotonergic System: an Overview of the Effects on Normal and Pathological Sleep. In: Vanhoutte, P.M., Saxena, P.R., Paoletti, R., Brunello, N., Jackson, A.S. (eds) Serotonin. Medical Science Symposia Series, vol 5. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1920-7_49

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1920-7_49

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4849-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-1920-7

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