Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 27, 2026

The Forced Swim Test as a Model of Depressive-like Behavior
Published on: March 2, 2015
The role of serotonin in hot flushes
1Pharmacology Department, N.V. Organon, POB 20, 5340 BH, Oss, Netherlands. h.berendsen@organon.oss.akzonobel.nl
Abstract:
Hot flushes are experienced in those periods of the female life when estrogen levels are low. Hormone replacement therapy is thus the first choice for treatment of hot flushes. However this treatment is not always accepted or contraindicated for a variety of reasons. Estrogen (and progestogen) strongly interact with a number of neurotransmitters and this has led to a range of non-hormonal treatments including compounds that act via the noradrenergic or dopaminergic systems as well as herbal remedies. These treatments (which are shortly reviewed) are not always successful. Surprisingly, apart from treatment with some selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's), up till now, little attention is given to the strong interaction of estrogens with the serotonergic system. These interactions are shortly reviewed. Based on these interactions, a hypothesis on the genesis of hot flushes is postulated. Especially the 5-HT(2A) receptor subtype may play a key role in the occurrence of hot flushes. A number of arguments that support this hypothesis are discussed.
More Related Videos
08:49Rapid In Situ Hybridization using Oligonucleotide Probes on Paraformaldehyde-prefixed Brain of Rats with Serotonin Syndrome
Published on: September 23, 2015
08:15Network Pharmacology and Validation of the Antidepressant Mechanisms of Qiangzhifang in a Chronic Restraint Stress-induced Depression Rat Model
Published on: June 6, 2025
Related Concept Videos
G-protein Coupled Receptors
Antidepressant Drugs: Tricyclics, SSRIs, and SNRIs
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists
Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists
Menopause