PET scans reveal link between low serotonin levels and dementia

A new study carried out by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University (MD, USA) has provided evidence of an association between mild cognitive decline and levels of serotonin. The study, published in Neurobiology of Disease, proposes the use of serotonin receptors as a biomarker to detect cognitive and possible dementia development. Previous studies have established a correlation between serotonin levels and development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or other cognitive defects; but as of yet, no direct cause and effect link have been evidenced. This current study was influenced by findings from Alena Savonenko et al., which demonstrated that a decrease...