Skip to main content

Serotonin

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior

Abstract

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is acknowledged as a neuromodulator of nervous systems in both invertebrates and vertebrates. It has been proposed for several decades that it impacts animal cognition and behaviors. Despite a completely distinct organization of the 5-HT systems across the animal kingdom and the distinct ecological niches and environments, several lines of evidence suggest that the influences of 5-HT on behavior and cognition are evolutionary conserved. In this chapter, some behaviors classically evoked when addressing the role of 5-HT on nervous system functions have been selected including the motor activity, arousal, sleep and circadian rhythm, feeding, social interaction and aggressiveness, anxiety, mood, learning and memory, impulsive/compulsive dimension, and behavioral flexibility. The roles of 5-HT have been illustrated in both invertebrates and vertebrates.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 3,999.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 549.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

5-HT:

Serotonin

5-HTR:

Serotonin receptors

CNS:

Central nervous system

SERT:

Serotonin transporter

SSRI:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

References

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel Cattaert .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Section Editor information

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Cattaert, D., De Deurwaerdère, P. (2022). Serotonin. In: Vonk, J., Shackelford, T.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55065-7_486

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics