The role of serotonin in prenatal ontogenesis

Abstract

This review article summarizes current ideas about the role of serotonin in prenatal ontogenesis. We herein present the results of experimental and clinical studies that reveal the mechanisms of serotonin involvement in the establishment and development of the single mother-placenta-fetus system. The article highlights the key role of maternal serotonin in the genetic program for the morphological and functional development of fetal organs from the earliest stages of prenatal ontogenesis, in both normal and complicated pregnancy. We also discuss gestational factors that affect the production of maternal, placental, and fetal serotonin, as its deficiency or excess during pregnancy determines perinatal and long-term pathology programming in the offspring. The article substantiates the prospects for using serotonin as a biochemical marker of brain damage in a newborn for the timely application of neuroprotection and the prevention of adverse consequences.