The Effects of Serotonergic systems on Cognitive Flexibility and Perseverative Thinking: a comparison between SSRI, classical psychedelics, and acute tryptophan depletion in a Multilevel Meta-Analysis
medRxiv June 22, 2026 Roi Basch, Maya Cohen, Leehe Peled-Avron
Abstract Background Serotonin has been implicated in cognitive flexibility and pathological perseverative thinking (PT), including rumination, worry, and obsessions. However, evidence remains fragmented across pharmacological manipulations, clinical populations, and outcome measures. This multilevel meta-analysis examined whether serotonergic interventions influence PT and cognitive...