PSYB65H3 Chapter 8: Chapter 8 PSYB651
Document Summary
Sudden infant death syndrome (sids): unexplained death while asleep of a seemingly healthy infant less than 1 year old expel the gas in regulating behavior. Sids victims have a gene variation in 5-ht transporter, becomes unusually efficient. Normal serotonergic system stimulates a mechanism that responds to high co2 levels in blood and act to. Sids causes low occurrence of 5-ht1a receptors in the brain which reduces serotonergic system"s efficiency. 5-ht cleared from synapse faster than normal= less effective in regulating co2 build up. Less 5-ht1a in males than females= higher mortality in males. Studies on mice with high levels of 5-ht1a showed abnormalities in temperature and heartbeat control, just like sids victims. 5-ht autoreceptors are part of feedback loop that turns off serotonergic cells (acts to reduce 5-ht transmission elsewhere in brain) Other dysfunctional neurotransmitter signals may be involved, but 5-ht defects are most robust.
