Background
Impulsivity is a multifaceted personality construct associated with numerous psychiatric
disorders. Recent research has characterized four facets of impulsivity: “urgency”
(the tendency to act rashly especially in the context of distress or cravings); “lack
of premeditation” (not envisaging the consequences of actions); “lack of perseverance”
(not staying focused on a task); and “sensation seeking” (engaging in exciting activities).
Urgency is particularly associated with clinical populations and problematic disinhibited
behavior.
Methods
We used magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure concentration of the inhibitory
neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
(DLPFC) in two cohorts of 12 and 13 participants.
Results
We find that variation in trait urgency in healthy men correlates with GABA concentration
in the DLPFC. The result was replicated in an independent cohort. More GABA predicted
lower urgency scores, consistent with a role in self-control for GABA-mediated inhibitory
mechanisms in DLPFC.
Conclusions
These findings help account for individual differences in self-control and thus clarify
the relationship between GABA and a wide range of psychiatric disorders associated
with impaired self-control.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 15, 2011
Accepted:
May 27,
2011
Received in revised form:
May 27,
2011
Received:
January 6,
2011
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
