Influence of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2 Receptor Agonists on Blood Glucose and Insulin Levels

It is now 20 years that the role of central 5-HT in the regulation of circulating glucose and insulin levels has been a matter of interest. Nowadays, the possibility to investigate the metabolic influence of ligands thought to be selective for 5-HT receptor subtypes provides new insights in the relationships between 5-HT and the energetic metabolism. Then, the purpose of this paper is to review the respective consequences of 5-HT1A or 5-HT2 receptor activation (by compounds such as 8-OH-DPAT, buspirone, ipsapirone, diisopropyl-5-carboxytryptamine, RU 24969, DOI or alpha-methyl-5-HT) on blood glucose and insulin levels, with special reference to the tight relationships between the serotonergic system and the sympathoadrenal system. Lastly, the putative relevance of these findings to physiology will be discussed.