Which neurotransmitter is primarily involved in the vomiting pathway of CINV?

Serotonin is primarily involved in the vomiting pathway of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). When chemotherapy agents are administered, they can trigger the release of serotonin from the enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal tract. This released serotonin then acts on the 5-HT3 receptors in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal system, which significantly contributes to the emetic response.

This pathway is crucial because it highlights the role of serotonin in mediating the effects of various chemotherapeutic agents, establishing it as a key target for antiemetic therapies. Medications that block the action of serotonin at these receptors are commonly used to prevent and manage nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing chemotherapy. This understanding underlines the importance of serotonin in the neurochemical signaling involved in CINV.