The cortical serotonin2A receptor and the pathology of schizophrenia: a likely accomplice

A large body of evidence shows that there is a change in the density of cortical serotonin2A receptors (5HT2AR) in post-mortem CNS from subjects with schizophrenia. Furthermore, some antipsychotic drugs have also been shown to cause a decrease in the density of 5HT2AR in the rat CNS. Thus, it appeared possible that changes in this receptor in human post-mortem CNS simply reflected an antipsychotic drug effect. However, a great deal of research on the 5HT2AR and schizophrenia now suggests that the changes in this receptor are complex and may be involved in both the pathology of the disorder and the effects of some antipsychotic drugs. Moreover, recent advances in basic research on the role of the 5HT2AR in the CNS add further support to the hypothesis that the receptor could be involved in the pathology of the illness. In particular, an argument will be developed that the changes in the 5HT2AR in schizophrenia are reflective of a real or perceived change in serotonergic tone and that this forms an important part of the pathology of the illness.