Serotonin produced by the raphe is critical for sleep in both mice and zebrafish. The firing of neurons in the raphe and the release of serotonin may help the brain build up better sleep pressure. The results may explain why some sleep-related side effects of antidepressants increase serotonin in the brain.
A new study reports the serotonin system is made up of multiple parallel pathways that affect the brain in different, and sometimes opposing, ways.