Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Serotonergic
Introduction
Serotonergic or serotoninergic means “related to the neurotransmitter serotonin“. A synapse is serotonergic if it uses serotonin as its neurotransmitter. A substance is serotonergic if it produces its effects via interactions with the serotonin system.
A serotonergic, or serotonergic agent, is any chemical which functions to enhance the effects mediated by serotonin in the central nervous system, and they include the following classes of chemicals:
- Serotonin precursors (such as tryptophan and 5-HTP)
- Cofactors required in the body’s production of serotonin
- Serotonergic enzymes
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor – A common class of serotonergic antidepressants
- Noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant – Another class of serotonergic antidepressants
- serotonergic psychedelics – The serotonergic psychedelic drugs