Abstract: With an increasing number of reports on side effects including antipsychotic induced weight gain and cardiovascular risks, interest of the researchers has been transferred to a new target for the treatment of schizophrenia—serotonin 2C receptor (5-HT2C receptor). On one hand, activation on 5-HT2C receptors can lead to decrease of dopamine in the nigrostriatum, which presents its potential antipsychotic effect; on the other hand, the second-generation of antipsychotics’ antagonism on the 5-HT2C receptors is an important factor of patients weight gain. Conversely, agonism on the 5-HT2C receptors may result in weight loss efficacy. This paper introduced the potential therapeutical effect of 5-HT2C receptor on schizophrenia and the relation between the receptor and correlated weight gain.

Key words: serotonin 2Creceptor (5-HT2Creceptor), schizophrenia, antipsychotic induced weight gain, gene polymorphism, vabicaserin