Serotonin and drug reward:: focus on 5-HT2C receptors

Pharmacological manipulation of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; serotonin) system has long been associated with a regulation of feeding behaviour, however, the initial part of this article reviews evidence that central 5-HT systems similarly modulate reward-related behaviours, particularly drug reward. The second part of this article considers what we believe to be strong emerging pharmacological and genetic evidence that many of these effects are mediated through 5-HT2C receptor signalling mechanisms. Finally, we consider the potential for selective 5-HT2C agonists as therapies for substance abuse disorders and the medical implications for different 5-HT2C receptor isoforms generated by RNA editing. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.