The pattern of pre- and postnatal appearance of 5-HT1D receptors throughout the different areas of the human brain was studied by quantitative in vitro autoradiography, using [125I]GTI (serotonin O-carboxymethyl-glycyl-[125I]tyrosinamide) as a ligand. The anatomical distribution of 5-HT1D receptors in neonatal, infant and children's brain was in good agreement with that observed in the adult, the basal ganglia and substantia nigra being the most intensely labelled areas. The development of these receptors throughout the human brain was mainly postnatal: low densities of [125I]GTI binding sites were observed at the fetal/neonatal stage in most regions analyzed, in contrast with the high levels of labelling found in infant and children's brains. Indeed, in a number of regions, including the globus pallidus, substantia nigra and visual cortex, a peak of overexpression of 5-HT1D receptors was observed in the first decade of life. Such overexpression could support a regulatory role for 5-HT1D receptors in advanced periods of the CNS developmental process. Our results also indicate that the administration of drugs acting on 5-HT1D receptors during the early postnatal period of life could result in modifications of their properties, as these receptors are already functional in this period.