5-hydroxytryptamine and depression: a model for the interaction of normal variance with pathology.

1 Theories linking 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) with depression are briefly reviewed. The various experimental strategies adopted to investigate this relationship, examination of autopsy data, CSF metabolite data, 5-HT re-uptake patterns in human blood platelets and imipramine binding studies in human platelets, are discussed. 2 Recent studies of 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) levels in cerebrospinal fluid have revealed a linkage between low 5-HIAA levels and suicide, aggression and impulsivity. Decreases in the number of imipramine binding sites have also been found in brains of suicide victims. 3 The available data lead to the conclusion that decreased 5-hydroxytryptaminergic function may be associated with an increased risk of depression, suicide, and some types of aggression.