Improved mental health shows increased serotonin transporters in the brain

Written by Lucy Chard (Assistant Editor)

Serotonin transporters in the brain

A possible cause of depression could be linked to low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Levels of a neurotransmitter in the brain – serotonin – could be linked to depression, as it is carried away from cerebral neuron synapses by the transporter protein, 5-HTT. A new study from the Karolinska Institutet (KI; Solna, Sweden) measured the levels of serotonin in 17 participants who had recovered from depression with cognitive behavioral therapy using brain imaging techniques. "Our results suggest that changes to the serotonin system are part of the biology of depression and that this change is related...

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