Dihydroxytryptamines as tools to study the neurobiology of serotonin.

The neurotoxins 5,6- and 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine are accepted tools for "chemical degeneration" of serotonergic (5-HT) axons in the CNS (for reviews, see [11, 12, 15, 20] ). Optimum application of these substances requires knowledge of their chemical properties, disposition in the biophase and mechanism of action. Current knowledge and concepts on this issue are described and results of recent studies utilizing 5,7-DHT uptake as a tool for localizing 5-HT neurons neuroanatomically are reviewed.