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Re: Meaning of the word serotenergic?

Posted by jd on December 23, 1999, at 4:33:00

In reply to Meaning of the word serotenergic?, posted by Abby on December 21, 1999, at 19:50:48

My sense has always been that *serotonergic* basically means "promoting the availability of serotonin to your brain's receptors". Offhand, I can think of three ways of doing this: (1) drugs that promote the release of extra serotonin (I think lithium is in this category); (2) drugs that block re-uptake of serotonin in the synapse (SSRIs like Prozac, Paxil, etc.); and (3) drugs that either mimic or can get turned in serotonin down the line (like 5-HTP). So, short answer, I see no reason not to call SSRIs serotonergic... though I warn that like most of us I'm just an amateur at this!

Best,
jd

> Could someone please tell me precisely what
> serotonergic means. From the etymology I
> would assume that it means something like
> 'doing the work of serotonin', but scientists and M.D.s
> are not always the most brilliant linguists.
>
> Lithium is described as serotenergic, but can chemicals
> which selectively preventing the reuptake of serotonin also
> be considered serotonergic agents as well?
>
> Abby


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poster:jd thread:17295
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19991212/msgs/17373.html