Higher Expression of Serotonin 5-HT_2A Receptors in the Postmortem Brains of Teenage Suicide Victims

Abstract

The evidence indicates higher levels of 5-HT(2A) receptor, protein, and mRNA expression in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, which have been implicated in emotion, stress, and cognition. There was no higher level in the nucleus accumbens, which has been implicated in drug dependence and craving. Our findings suggest that a higher level of 5-HT(2A) receptors may be one of the neurobiological abnormalities associated with teenage suicide.