Molecular imaging of the serotonin 5-HT7 receptors: from autoradiography to positron emission tomography

Serotonin and its various receptors are involved in numerous brain functions and neuropsychiatric disorders. Of the 14 known serotoninergic receptors, the 5-HT7 receptor is the most recently identified and characterized. It is closely involved in the pathogenesis of depression, anxiety, epilepsy and pain and is therefore an important target for drug therapy. It is a crucial target in neuroscience, and there is a clear need for radioligands for in vitro and in vivo visualization and quantification, first in animal models and ultimately in humans. This review focuses on the main radioligands suggested for in vitro and in vivo imaging of the 5-HT7 receptor.