Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Is Serotonin the Key Factor?

Neuropathological studies have identified a key role for the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) pathways in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Panigrahy et al¹ reported a decrease in 5-HT receptor binding in the arcuate nucleus, raphé obscurus, and other medullary regions that contain 5-HT cell bodies in SIDS cases in the United States. Similarly, Ozawa and Okado² reported a decrease in 5-HT receptor binding in the dorsal nucleus of the vagus, solitary nucleus, and ventrolateral medulla in SIDS cases in Japan. Subsequently, Kinney et al³ confirmed their prior observations of altered 5-HT receptor binding in medullary regions in Native American Indians, a group at high risk for SIDS.