5-HT1A receptor, an old target for new therapeutic agents.

The serotonin receptor subtype 5 HT(1A) was one of the first serotonin receptor subtypes pharmacologically characterized. Over the last twenty years the 5 HT(1A) receptor has been the object of intense research efforts as witnessed by the 5 HT(1A) acting drugs marketed as anxiolytics. In recent years, several new chemical entities targeting the 5 HT(1A) receptor (alone or in combination with other molecular targets) have been proposed for novel therapeutic indications (neuroprotection, cognitive impairment, Parkinson Disease and related disorders, pain treatment). The present review will focus on those 5 HT(1A) receptor agents that entered preclinical trials starting from 2000.