Serotonin-related Mechanisms in the Etiology and Pharmacotherapy of Social Phobia, A Review: Serotonin and Social Phobia

Serotonin and Social Phobia

Authors

  • Malihe Arjmandi Ghandashtani Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
  • Sahar Poudineh School of Medicine, Mashhad Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
  • Alireza Sarlak Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
  • Maryam Poudineh School of Medicine, Mashhad Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31661/gmj.v12i.3072

Keywords:

Social Phobia, Social Anxiety Disorder, Serotonin, Dopamine, Depression, Polymorphism

Abstract

Social anxiety disorder (SAD), known as social phobia, is considered a prevalent psychiatric disorder characterized by a constant fear of social positions. Frequently, social phobia occurs with other mental disorders including depression and substance abuse conditions. Although SAD is considered one of the most common types of mental disorders, proper management may be compromised in recurrent psychiatric comorbidity due to clinicians’ focus on secondary complications. Moreover, despite the description of social phobia as a polygenic and complex condition, few altered genetic and epigenetic factors are identified as causative agents. Over the past decades, several studies have suggested polymorphisms in serotonergic and dopaminergic-related genes as the etiology of social phobia. Serotonin, on the other hand, as a necessary neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS), is involved in a variety of disease processes including social phobia. Nevertheless, the exact mechanism of serotonin-dependent development of the disease and the efficacy of suggested pharmacotherapies are not fully understood. The current study aimed to review the serotonin-dependent mechanisms by which SAD develops and discuss the current suggested strategies that are based on serotonin metabolism.

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Published

2023-12-18

How to Cite

Arjmandi Ghandashtani, M., Poudineh, S., Sarlak, A., & Poudineh, M. . (2023). Serotonin-related Mechanisms in the Etiology and Pharmacotherapy of Social Phobia, A Review: Serotonin and Social Phobia: Serotonin and Social Phobia. Galen Medical Journal, 12, e3072. https://doi.org/10.31661/gmj.v12i.3072

Issue

Section

Review Article