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The study by scientists at the University of Oxford’s Department of Psychiatry and the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (OH BRC) found people with increased serotonin levels had reduced sensitivity to punishing outcomes (for example, losing money in a game) without significantly affecting sensitivity to rewarding ones (winning money).
They found that increasing serotonin made individuals better able to control their behaviour, particularly when exposed to negative information. The study also showed that elevated serotonin levels benefited different types of memory.
Michael Colwell of Oxford's Department of Psychiatry, the lead author of the paper, said: 'These findings shed new light on how serotonin shapes human behaviour, particularly in negative environments: 'We believe it may offer important insights into the cause and treatment of depression.'
Instead of using traditional antidepressants (SSRIs or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) to test responses, the researchers used a new technique to test the effects of serotonin, using a selective serotonin releasing agent, a drug currently used to treat a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome. Unlike traditional techniques, this novel drug directly increases serotonin levels in the human brain.
Professor Catherine Harmer, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, and OH BRC Theme Lead for Depression Therapeutics said: 'Despite nearly a century of research, our understanding of how serotonin influences human behaviour has remained unclear and controversial.
Read the full story on the University of Oxford website.