Anxiety and depression, autism, cognitive decline, gut motility and intestinal inflammation disorders, … Abnormal serotonin levels are detected in a wide range of pathophysiological conditions. Over the past 10 years, researchers have been using our Serotonin ELISA kits to assess 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) concentrations in various types of samples: cell culture supernatant, gut and brain homogenates, as well as serum and plasma samples. Here’s a short review of the papers released by our customers: 

Low Plasma & Brain Serotonin Levels in Autism, Anxiety & Depression

• Carpita et al. reported in 2023 reduced plasma levels of 5-HT  in adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
• Letenneur et al. described in 2023 a drop in serum serotonin levels and higher Kynurenine-to-Tryptophan ratio in a mouse model of chronic stress-induced anxiety. This situation wasn’t observed in mice supplemented with a mix of Lactobacillus strains, which were better able to cope with chronic stress.
• Sabti et al. found in 2019 that antidepressant compounds increase serotonin levels in the brain in the TST stress-induced mouse model. In 2021, Sasaki et al. obtained the same results. This secretion profile was also measured via intracerebral in vivo microdialysis.

Measurement of Serotonin Concentrations in the Brain to Assess Cognitive Decline

• In 2023, Aktar et al. measured hippocampal concentrations of serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline in the senescence-accelerated mouse model SAMP8. Low neurotransmitter levels were associated with age-related memory and spatial impairment. The oral administration of a plant alkaloid elevated neurotransmitter release and improved cognitive parameters. 
• In 2020, Iwata et al. had already measured the same neurotransmitter profile in the senescence model. A sugarcane top ethanolic extract had restored neurotransmitter levels in the cortices of SAMP8 mice.
• Bekal et al. (2021) explored the behavioral and cognitive effects of whole-body radiation exposure. They found neurotransmitter release to be significantly altered by low-dose irradiation, with lower serotonin levels measured in the blood, whole brain tissue, hippocampus and amygdala of exposed mice.

Measuring Serotonin Secretion by Enterochromaffin Cells in the Gut

• In 2024, Kyodo et al. investigated the pathophysiology of Irritable Bowel Syndrome with a juvenile rat model. They found that exposure to neonatal maternal separation and restraint stress significantly elevated serotonin concentrations in the gut, associated with intestinal motility disorders.
• In 2022, Pfanzagl et al. explored the role of histamine on P-STS midgut neuroendocrine cells transfected with a chromogranin A expression plasmid. Their results showed that histamine increases acetylcholine-induced serotonin secretion through the activation of histamine H1 receptor (H1R), which enhances M3R-mediated intracellular calcium response.

Looking for an ELISA kit to measure Serotonin?

• An ultra-sensitive ELISA kit to measure Serotonin concentration in any sample (cell culture supernatant, tissue homogenates, plasma, serum, urine, etc…). Other highly sensitive ELISA kits to assess neurotransmitters and tryptophan metabolism are also available.
• A fast (75min) ELISA kit to quantify Serotonin in Serum and Urine
• A  fast ELISA kit to detect Serotonin metabolite 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in urine samples