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Glite Dictionary
hydroxytryptamine

hydroxytryptamine

1 9.6
A chemical in the brain that helps control mood and feelings
  • noun
  • /ˌhaɪdrəʊksɪˈtrɪptəmiːn/
  • Specialized
: hidroxitriptamina
  • In the treatment of depression, drugs that increase hydroxytryptamine levels are often prescribed.
  • 5-hydroxytryptamine

Examples

  • The brain's balance of mood is affected by the levels of hydroxytryptamine, commonly known as serotonin.

  • Newer agents, such as the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor) antagonists, ondansetron, granisetron, and dolasetron, appear to produce fewer serious side effects.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Researchers studied how hydroxytryptamine influences emotional regulation and responses to stress.

Synonyms

5-hydroxytryptamine
vshydroxytryptamine
  • Specialized
1 6.8

A chemical in the brain and body that affects mood, sleep, and appetite

is a broader chemical family name that includes this neurotransmitter

Surface Forms

hydroxytryptamine singular
hydroxytryptamines plural

Morphology

hydroxytryptamine = tryptamine (semi-transparent) = hydroxy + tryptamine

Formally built from the productive chemical combining form 'hydroxy-' plus the known compound 'tryptamine', but understanding requires domain-specific chemical knowledge of 'hydroxy' (an OH group).

Etymology

Hydroxytryptamine breaks into hydroxy- meaning 'water' or 'with oxygen' and tryptamine, which comes from the amino acid tryptophan plus the ending -amine. So, the name describes a specific brain chemical, like serotonin, that carries signals and helps control mood.