Serotonin Transporters

The serotonin transporter is most well known as the site of action of the serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which were initially developed as antidepressants, but now are the most widely used agents in the treatment of many additional neuropsychiatric and related disorders. The discovery that the serotonin transporter gene possesses a functional polymorphism within the promoter region led to many studies examining this polymorphism in individuals with different neuropsychiatric disorders. These observations raise the possibility of developing a new class of agents with different therapeutic and side effect profiles than conventional drugs. This overview of recent studies of the serotonin transporters attempts to open new areas for discussion and define concepts not yet comprehensively reviewed.