Abstract
Autism is a severe childhood disorder already presenting in the first 3 years of life and, therefore, strongly correlated with neurodevelopmental alterations in prenatal, as well as postnatal period. Neurotransmitters hold a pivotal role in development by providing the stimulation needed for synapses and neuronal networks to be formed during the critical period of neuroplasticity. Aberrations of the serotonergic system modify key processes in the developing brain and are strongly implicated in the pathophysiology of developmental disorders. Evidence for the role of serotonin in autism emerges from neuropathological, imaging and genetic studies. Due to its developmental arrest, autism requires early intervention that would, among others, target the disrupted serotonergic system and utilize brain plasticity to elicit clinically important brain changes in children.
Keywords: Autism, serotonin, serotonergic, developmental intervention, plasticity, 5-hydroxytryptophan
Current Neuropharmacology
Title: The Serotonergic System: Its Role in Pathogenesis and Early Developmental Treatment of Autism
Volume: 7 Issue: 2
Author(s): D. I. Zafeiriou, A. Ververi and E. Vargiami
Affiliation:
Keywords: Autism, serotonin, serotonergic, developmental intervention, plasticity, 5-hydroxytryptophan
Abstract: Autism is a severe childhood disorder already presenting in the first 3 years of life and, therefore, strongly correlated with neurodevelopmental alterations in prenatal, as well as postnatal period. Neurotransmitters hold a pivotal role in development by providing the stimulation needed for synapses and neuronal networks to be formed during the critical period of neuroplasticity. Aberrations of the serotonergic system modify key processes in the developing brain and are strongly implicated in the pathophysiology of developmental disorders. Evidence for the role of serotonin in autism emerges from neuropathological, imaging and genetic studies. Due to its developmental arrest, autism requires early intervention that would, among others, target the disrupted serotonergic system and utilize brain plasticity to elicit clinically important brain changes in children.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Zafeiriou I. D., Ververi A. and Vargiami E., The Serotonergic System: Its Role in Pathogenesis and Early Developmental Treatment of Autism, Current Neuropharmacology 2009; 7(2) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157015909788848848
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157015909788848848 |
Print ISSN 1570-159X |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-6190 |

- Author Guidelines
- Editorial Policies
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility Of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Reviewer Guidelines
- Guest Editor Guidelines
- Board Recruitment Workflow
- Short Guide for New Editors
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Announcements
- Forthcoming Thematic Issues
Related Articles
-
A Novel Immunotherapy for Alzheimers Disease: Antibodies against the β-Secretase Cleavage Site of APP
Current Alzheimer Research The Synergistic Effects of DNA-Targeted Chemotherapeutics and Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors As Therapeutic Strategies for Cancer Treatment
Current Medicinal Chemistry Recent Advances in the Synthesis and Development of Curcumin, its Combinations and Formulations and Curcumin-like Compounds as Anti-infective Agents
Current Medicinal Chemistry Histone Cleavage as a Mechanism for Epigenetic Regulation: Current Insights and Perspectives
Current Molecular Medicine Subclassification and Nomenclature of α- and β-Adrenoceptors
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Pathomechanisms of Myocardial Dysfunction in Sepsis
Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets Differences in Relative Levels of 88 microRNAs in Various Regions of the Normal Adult Human Brain
MicroRNA Gender Differences in the Effects of Angiotensin Receptor Blockers on Cardiovascular Disease
Current Pharmaceutical Design Maternal Choline Supplementation: A Potential Prenatal Treatment for Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease
Current Alzheimer Research Regulation of MAPK Signaling Pathways Through Immunophilin-ligand Complex
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Proteomic Analysis of the Kidney in Rat Biliary Cirrhosis
Current Proteomics Genome-Scale Technologies Foster Advances in Neurological and Behavioral Research
Current Psychiatry Reviews NPY Receptors as Drug Targets for the Central Regulation of Body Weight
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Conceptualizing Excessive Behaviour Syndromes: A Systematic Review
Current Psychiatry Reviews Implications of Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) in Cancer: From Prognostic to Therapeutic Applications
Current Drug Targets Nutritional Requirements for Maternal and Newborn Health
Current Women`s Health Reviews Placebo Effect in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Placebo Response and Placebo Responders in OCD: The Trend Over Time
Current Neuropharmacology Fluid Retention and Rostral Fluid Shift in Sleep-Disordered Breathing
Current Hypertension Reviews A Stress Repair Mechanism That Maintains Vertebrate Structure During Stress
Cardiovascular & Hematological Disorders-Drug Targets Viral Vectors in Cancer Immunotherapy: Which Vector for Which Strategy?
Current Gene Therapy