Resources, costs and long-term value: an integrative perspective on serotonin and meta-decision making

Abstract

Serotonin has been associated with a wide range of neural computations and behaviours, yet an overarching function of this neurotransmitter has been hard to pinpoint. Here, we combine recent theories and findings on serotonin and propose a framework where serotonin integrates information on resource availability and state value to represent a cost–benefit trade-off at the neural level. Critically, this framework supports meta-decision making, that is, the flexible allocation of resources to decision-making. We highlight a computational and neural implementation of this framework, and through this novel, lens interpret empirical findings in the domains of controllability and persistence.