5-HT6 receptor memory and amnesia: behavioral pharmacology--learning and memory processes.

Growing evidence indicates that antagonists of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) receptor6 (5-HT6) improve memory and reverse amnesia, although the mechanisms involved are poorly understood. Hence, in this paper an attempt was made to summarize recent findings. Available evidence indicates that diverse 5-HT6 receptor antagonists produce promnesic and/or antiamnesic effects in diverse conditions, including memory formation, age-related cognitive impairments, memory deficits in diseases such as schizophrenia, Parkinson, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Notably, some 5-HT6 receptor agonists seem to have promnesic and/or antiamnesic effects. At the present, it is unclear why 5-HT6 receptor agonists and antagonists may facilitate memory or may reverse amnesia in some memory tasks. Certainly, 5-HT6 drugs modulate memory, which are accompanied with neural changes. Likewise, memory, aging, and AD modify 5-HT6 receptors and signaling cascades. Further investigation in different memory tasks, times, and amnesia models together with more complex control groups might provide further clues. Notably, human studies suggest a potential utility of 5-HT6 receptor antagonists in mild-to-moderate AD patients. Even individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) offer a great opportunity to test them.