Serotonin 5-HT2A receptor expression is chronically decreased in the anterior cerebral cortex of male rats following repetitive low-level blast exposure
Frontiers in Neurology June 25, 2025 Rania Abutarboush, Usmah Kawoos, Rita de Gasperi et al. 3 citations
Repetitive low-level blast exposure in male rats chronically reduces serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) levels in the anterior cerebral cortex, a change detectable from 1 month to at least 12 months after exposure but not at 2 weeks. The hippocampus and amygdala showed variable receptor changes. 5-HT2AR expression correlated differently with certain behavioral measures in blast-exposed versus control rats. These findings suggest a neurochemical basis for blast-induced cognitive and PTSD-related behavioral changes and identify 5-HT2AR as a potential therapeutic target for treating such symptoms in Veterans.