serotonin linked to atherosclerosis

Filed in archive Studies on March 7, 2006

Serotonin or 5-HT (5-hydroxytryptamine) is a compound initially identified as a vasoconstrictor substance in the blood but was later identified as 5-HT having a broad range of physiological roles (regulator of mood, sleep, emesis, sexuality and appetite) but also involved in many disorders such as depression, migraine, bipolar disorder and anxiety.

Recently, new findings about serotonin have been reported by University of Pittsburg researchers at the 64th Annual Scientific Conference of the American Psychosomatic Society in Denver. The study implies that a less active brain serotonin system is associated with early hardening of the arteries.

Researchers believe that these findings, which are the first to establish a link between serotonin messages in the brain and atherosclerosis, could lead to an entirely new strategy for preventing heart disease and stroke.

Read more at UPMC News Bureau.