Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Decision Making01:20

Decision Making

Decision-making is a fundamental cognitive process that involves evaluating alternatives and selecting among them. This process can range from simple choices, such as deciding what to wear, to complex decisions, like choosing a major in college or a career path. The complexity of the decision often dictates the approach we use, which can be broadly categorized into two types: automatic and controlled decision-making.
Automatic decision-making is fast, intuitive, and relies on gut feelings...
Reason and Intuition01:37

Reason and Intuition

The human brain processes information for decision-making using one of two routes: an intuitive system and a rational system (Epstein, 1994; popularized by Kahneman, 2011 as System 1 and System 2, respectively). The intuitive system is quick, impulsive, and operates with minimal effort, relying on emotions or habits to provide cues for what to do next, while the rational system is logical, analytical, deliberate, and methodical. Research in neuropsychology suggests that the brain can only use...
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists01:23

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists

Serotonin, a crucial neurotransmitter synthesized by enterochromaffin cells, plays a cardinal role in regulating gastrointestinal (GI) motility. With over 90% of the body's total serotonin in the GI tract, its influence on digestive processes is profound. Serotonin is swiftly released upon various stimuli, such as food boluses or certain drugs, triggering intrinsic sensory neurons in the myenteric plexus and extrinsic vagal and spinal sensory neurons. This leads to the activation of the...
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents01:23

Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents

Atypical antidepressants, including bupropion (Wellbutrin), mirtazapine (Remeron), nefazodone (Serzone), trazodone (Desyrel), and vilazodone (Viibryd), offer unique mechanisms of action. Bupropion weakly inhibits dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake, aiding depression treatment and smoking cessation, with a low risk of sexual dysfunction. Mirtazapine enhances serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmission, leading to sedation, increased appetite, and weight gain. As a result, it helps treat...
Decision Making: Traditional Method01:14

Decision Making: Traditional Method

The process of hypothesis testing based on the traditional method includes calculating the critical value, testing the value of the test statistic using the sample data, and interpreting these values.
First, a specific claim about the population parameter is decided based on the research question and is stated in a simple form. Further, an opposing statement to this claim is also stated. These statements can act as null and alternative hypotheses, out of which a null hypothesis would be a...
Human Genetics01:28

Human Genetics

Human genetics provides a profound framework for understanding the interplay between genetic predispositions and human psychology. At the heart of this discipline lies the study of how genes influence physical traits, behaviors, and susceptibility to diseases. Each person carries a unique genetic code that subtly or significantly shapes their psychological and behavioral landscape.
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

White Matter Changes During Manic and Depressive Episodes and Phase Switching in Bipolar Disorder: A Tractography Study.

Bipolar disorders·2026
Same author

Neurotrophic and metabolic consequences of virgin coconut oil and ethanol: implications for growth and antioxidant defense.

Molecular biology reports·2026
Same author

Time-specific perturbation of the serotonergic system differentially modulates the transcriptional landscape of hippocampal subregions in female rats.

Biochemical pharmacology·2025
Same author

Sensory processing sensitivity: theory, evidence, and directions.

Trends in cognitive sciences·2025
Same author

Low population density relates to more positive behavioural endophenotype in depressed patients on serotonergic antidepressants.

Cognition & emotion·2025
Same author

Activation mapping in multi-center retrospective rat sensory-evoked functional MRI datasets using a unified pipeline.

Imaging neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.)·2025
Same journal

Dissecting first-episode psychosis heterogeneity with clustering analyses: a systematic review.

Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews·2026
Same journal

Irisin and anxiety-like behaviors: Mechanistic integration of peripheral-central crosstalk, neuroinflammation and neural plasticity.

Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews·2026
Same journal

Efficacy of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation in Alzheimer's Disease: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses.

Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews·2026
Same journal

Rhythms of interaction - the timescales of social coordination and why they matter.

Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews·2026
Same journal

Neural Bases of Memory Development: Insights from Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews·2026
Same journal

Regional heterogeneity of brain insulin resistance: From molecular pathways to neural circuits.

Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

An Automated T-maze Based Apparatus and Protocol for Analyzing Delay- and Effort-based Decision Making in Free Moving Rodents
07:42

An Automated T-maze Based Apparatus and Protocol for Analyzing Delay- and Effort-based Decision Making in Free Moving Rodents

Published on: August 2, 2018

Serotonin and decision making processes.

Judith R Homberg1

  • 1Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, UMC St. Radboud, 6525 EZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands. j.homberg@cns.umcn.nl

Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|June 23, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Serotonin (5-HT) influences decision-making by modulating cognitive processes like learning and inhibition. Understanding these serotonin mechanisms can optimize treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders.

More Related Videos

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
05:48

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients

Published on: June 12, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 31, 2026

An Automated T-maze Based Apparatus and Protocol for Analyzing Delay- and Effort-based Decision Making in Free Moving Rodents
07:42

An Automated T-maze Based Apparatus and Protocol for Analyzing Delay- and Effort-based Decision Making in Free Moving Rodents

Published on: August 2, 2018

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
05:48

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients

Published on: June 12, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Decision Science

Background:

  • Serotonin (5-HT) is crucial for decision-making processes.
  • Neuropsychiatric disorders often involve impaired decision-making, treated with serotonergic drugs that have mixed effects.
  • A deeper understanding of 5-HT's role is needed to refine therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the intricate mechanisms of serotonin in decision-making.
  • To differentiate the roles of various 5-HT receptor subtypes in cognitive functions related to decision-making.
  • To provide a coherent view of 5-HT's impact on decision-making processes.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research on 5-HT and decision-making.
  • Analysis of studies investigating the effects of 5-HT levels and receptor modulation on cognitive tasks.
  • Hypothesizing the integrative and vigilance-promoting role of 5-HT based on its evolutionary function.

Main Results:

  • High central 5-HT levels correlate with enhanced reversal learning, attentional set-shifting, reduced delay discounting, and increased response inhibition.
  • 5-HT appears to be involved in integrating sensory and emotional information for vigilance.
  • Specific 5-HT receptor subtypes (5-HT2A, 5-HT2C, 5-HT6) exhibit distinct effects on compulsivity, impulsivity, and overall decision-making.

Conclusions:

  • Serotonin plays a multifaceted role in decision-making, influencing various cognitive domains.
  • Targeting specific 5-HT receptor subtypes offers potential for nuanced therapeutic interventions in neuropsychiatric disorders.
  • Further research is warranted to fully harness the therapeutic potential of modulating serotonergic pathways in decision-making deficits.