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

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, i.e. 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.