Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30632995›Full record

ReviewBehavioural pharmacology2019

Serotonin 2A receptors are a stress response system: implications for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Kevin Sean Murnane

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Behavioural pharmacology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
40citing papers in PubMed
2.1field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

40 citing papers in PubMed, 82 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Biased signalingActa pharmaceutica Sinica. B · 2025
    Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Review
  15. Article
  16. Review
  17. Article
  18. Review
  19. D1R-5-HT2AR Uncoupling Reduces Depressive Behaviours via HDAC Signalling.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2023
    Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

1 author at 1 institution in 1 country.

Kevin Sean MurnaneDepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mercer University College of Pharmacy, Mercer University Health Sciences Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Mercer University Health Sciences Center · US

Funding

Receptor pharmacology and toxicology of second-generation pyrrolidine "bath salt" cathinonesR21DA040907 · NIDA · NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY · PI CANAL, CLINTON E, MURNANE, KEVIN SEAN · 2016 to 2017
$493k
A novel neuropeptide brain delivery system for epilepsyR21NS100512 · NINDS · MERCER UNIVERSITY MACON · PI ESCAYG, ANDREW P, MURNANE, KEVIN SEAN · 2016 to 2017
$440k
NIDA NIH HHS R21 DA040907NINDS NIH HHS R21 NS100512
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Serotonin, one of the first neurotransmitters to be identified, is an evolutionarily old molecule that is highly conserved across the animal kingdom, and widely used throughout the brain. Despite this, ascribing a specific set of functions to brain serotonin and its receptors has been difficult and controversial. The 2A subtype of serotonin receptors (5-HT2A receptor) is the major excitatory serotonin receptor in the brain and has been linked to the effects of drugs that produce profound sensory and cognitive changes. Numerous studies have shown that this receptor is upregulated by a broad variety of stressors, and have related 5-HT2A receptor function to associative learning. This review proposes that stress, particularly stress related to danger and existential threats, increases the expression and function of 5-HT2A receptors. It is argued that this is a neurobiological adaptation to promote learning and avoidance of danger in the future. Upregulation of 5-HT2A receptors during stressful events forms associations that tune the brain to environmental cues that signal danger. It is speculated that life-threatening situations may activate this system and contribute to the symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, which activates 5-HT2A receptors, has been successful in the treatment of PTSD and has recently achieved status as a breakthrough therapy. An argument is presented that 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine may paradoxically act through these same 5-HT2A receptors to ameliorate the symptoms of PTSD. The central thematic contention is that a key role of serotonin may be to function as a stress detection and response system.

Indexed as

3,4-MethylenedioxyamphetamineAnimalsBrainCuesGene ExpressionGene Expression RegulationHumansLearningReceptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2ASerotoninStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticStress, Physiological3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine3,4-methylenedioxyethamphetamineReceptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2ASerotonin

Identifiers

PMID30632995
PMCPMC6422730
OpenAlexW2927237494

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.