Rethinking serotonin could lead to a shift in psychiatric care

  A better understanding of how serotonin, a neurotransmitter which helps brain cells communicate with one another, could lead to a radical shift in psychiatric care, according to a new paper. Despite its importance, current models to explain serotonin’s function in stabilising mood and regulating stress remain incomplete. Now, in a review paper published this month in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, researchers from Imperial College London suggest that serotonin pathways are more nuanced than previously thought. They argue that the existing view should be updated to incorporate a €˜two-pronged’ model of how serotonin acts. The researchers believe their updated model could have implications