5-HYDROXYTRYPTAMINE


Meaning of 5-HYDROXYTRYPTAMINE in English

A hormone found in the brain, platelets, digestive tract, and pineal gland. It acts both as a neurotransmitter (a substance that nerves use to send messages to one another) and a vasoconstrictor (a substance that causes blood vessels to narrow). A lack of 5-hydroxytryptamine in the brain is thought to be a cause of depression. Also called serotonin.

NCI English Dictionary of Cancer Terms.      Английский словарь раковых терминов NCI(Национальный институт злокачественных новообразований).