Serotonergic Mechanisms of Decision-Making
Research suggests that serotonin modulates the processing of information pertaining to rewards and punishments (Phillips and Robbins, 2020). However, the exact nature of this modulation, and which components of the serotonin system are involved, is not fully known. Understanding the serotonergic mechanisms of decision-making can have huge implications for the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as mood and addictive disorders, both of which are associated with A) serotonergic dysfunction and B) sub-optimal processing of information pertaining to rewards and punishments that in turn contributes to maladaptive decision-making.
To better understand this relationship, we performed a series of psychopharmacological studies. These used Positron Emission Tomography (PET), functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and genetic methods to determine the effects of manipulating serotonin function via acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) administration on sequential, impulsive and risky decision-making in healthy individuals.
Published Work:
Selvaraj S, Walker C, Arnone D, Bao C, Faulkner P, Cowen PJ, Roiser JP & Howes O (2018) Effect of Citalopram on Emotion Processing in Humans: A Combined 5-HT1A [11C]CUMI-101 PET and Functional MRI Study Neuropsychopharmacology
Faulkner P, Mancinelli F, Lockwood P, Matarin M, Dolan RJ, Wood NW, Dayan P, & Roiser JP (2016) Peripheral Serotonin 1B Receptor Transcription Predicts the Effect of Acute Tryptophan Depletion on Risky Decision-Making International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
Selvaraj S, Mouchlianitis E, Faulkner P, Turkheimer F, Cowen PJ, Roiser JP & Howes O (2015) Presynaptic Serotonergic Regulation of Emotional Processing: A Multi-Model Brain Imaging Study Biological Psychiatry
Faulkner P, Selvaraj S, Pine A, Howes O & Roiser JP (2014) The Relationship Between Reward and Punishment Processing and the 5-HT1A Receptor as Shown by PET Psychopharmacology
Faulkner P, & Deakin JFW (2014) The Role of Serotonin in Reward, Punishment and Behavioural Inhibition in Humans: Insights from Studies with Acute Tryptophan Depletion Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
Selvaraj S, Turkheimer F, Rosso L, Faulkner P, Mouchlianitis E, Roiser JP, McGuire P, Cowen PJ & Howes O (2012) Measuring Endogenous Changes in Serotonergic Neurotransmission in Humans Molecular Psychiatry