Serotonin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Serotonin - Research Paper Example The metabolism of serotonin takes place in the live. The product of metabolism is known as 5-HIAA. In the process of metabolism, serotonin is oxidized by monoamine oxidase to produce aldehyde. Aldehyde is further oxidized into 5-HIAA by aldehyde dehydrogenase. Large amounts of serotonin in the blood leads to certain forms of carcinoid syndrome of flushing. It also leads to diarrhea, and heart complications. Human beings who experience the production of large amounts of serotonin often suffer from tricuspid valve disease. This disease is caused due to proliferation of myocytes into the valve (Chattopadhyay, 2007). Serotonin is not only found in animals. There are plants and fungi that have serotonin. Worms and insects also have serotonin. This is manifested the pain caused due to their bites. Plant spines also cause pain to human beings. Other pathogenic amoebas have the ability to produce serotonin, the effect of the serotonin from amoeba leads to diarrhea. 5-HT receptors belong to the A rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). These receptors are said to have seven transmembrane spanning helices which include; three intracellular and three extracellular loops, one extracellular amino-terminus, and an intracellular carboxy-terminus. The transmembrane helices are charged with the function of binding endogenous ligand serotonin. Serotonergic neurons are lovated at the dorsal and median raphe nuclei region of the brain stem. In addition, serotonergic neurons are responsible for the projection of nerve terminals to every region of the brain.... It also leads to diarrhea, and heart complications. Human beings who experience the production of large amounts of serotonin often suffer from tricuspid valve disease. This disease is caused due to proliferation of myocytes into the valve (Chattopadhyay, 2007). Serotonin is not only found in animals. There are plants and fungi that have serotonin. Worms and insects also have serotonin. This is manifested the pain caused due to their bites. Plant spines also cause pain to human beings. Other pathogenic amoebas have the ability to produce serotonin, the effect of the serotonin from amoeba leads to diarrhea (Chattopadhyay, 2007). 5-HT receptors belong to the A rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). These receptors are said to have seven transmembrane spanning helices which include; three intracellular and three extracellular loops, one extracellular amino-terminus, and an intracellular carboxy-terminus. The transmembrane helices are charged with the function of binding endo genous ligand serotonin (Chattopadhyay, 2007). Serotonergic neurons are lovated at the dorsal and median raphe nuclei region of the brain stem. In addition, serotonergic neurons are responsible for the projection of nerve terminals to every region of the brain. There are primary targets for serotonergic projections in the brain. The main targets include the substantia nigra, hypothalamus, amygdaloid-hippocampal region, caudate, plutamen and nucleus accumbens. Other areas that are targeted by the serotonergic projections include cerebral cortial areas such as the frontal, occipital, insular, parietal, temporal, and cerebral cortices (Vanhoute, 1993). In the brain, the cerebral cortex region has several nerves of serotonin