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Updated: Jul 3, 2026

The Use of Pharmacological-challenge fMRI in Pre-clinical Research: Application to the 5-HT System
Published on: April 25, 2012
5-HT(4) receptors: history, molecular pharmacology and brain functions
Joël Bockaert1, Sylvie Claeysen, Valérie Compan
1CNRS UMR 5203, Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Montpellier, France. joel.bockaert@igf.cnrs.fr
Abstract:
Twenty years ago, we started the characterization of a 5-HT receptor coupled to cAMP production in neurons. This receptor obviously had a different pharmacology to the other 5-HT receptors described at that time, i.e. the 5-HT(1), 5-HT(2), 5-HT(3) receptors. We proposed to name it the 5-HT(4) receptor. Nowadays, 5-HT(4) receptors are one of the most studied GPCRs belonging to the "rhodopsin" family. Thanks to the existence of a great variety of ligands with inverse agonist, partial agonist, agonist and antagonist profiles, the pharmacological and physiological properties of this receptor are beginning to emerge. Although some 5-HT(4) partial agonists have been on the market for gastro-intestinal pathologies, 5-HT(4) receptor drugs have still to be commercialized for brain disorders. However, since 5-HT(4) receptors have recognized effects on memory, depression and feeding in animal models, there is still hope for a therapeutic destiny of this interesting target in brain disorders.
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