title: Impulsive errors on a Go-NoGo reaction time task: disinhibitory traits in relation to a family history of alcoholism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Behavioral undercontrol may contribute to risk for alcoholism in vulnerable persons. We predicted that healthy young adults with a family history of alcoholism (FH+) who also displayed externalizing behavior characteristics (low scores on the California Psychological Inventory Sociability Scale; CPI-So) would exhibit more impulsive responding (false alarms) on a Go-NoGo reaction time task.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were 230 healthy volunteers, 18 to 30 years of age with no history of alcohol or drug dependence. The task included 100 trials: 60 of "Go," calling for a button press, and 40 of "NoGo," or "XX," calling for inhibiting a response. Data analysis involved a signal detection analysis of performance with subsequent group comparisons for rates of impulsive responding indicated by False Alarms (responses to NoGo signals).
  
  
  RESULTS
  CPI-So scores were lower in FH+ than in FH- (p < .000001) indicating a greater clustering of disinhibitory tendencies in these persons. FH, CPI-So scores, and Gender together predicted false alarm rates, accounting for 4.9% of the variance, F = 3.89, p = 0.009. False alarms were associated with low CPI-So scores, F = 5.15, p = 0.024, and being male, F = 6.27, p = 0.013, but not with FH once these variables were accounted for.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A disinhibited temperament may underlie a behavioral impulsivity that contributes to elevated risk for future alcoholism, especially among FH+ males.
authors: Behavioral Sciences Laboratories, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73134, USA.
authors: Buddy
authors: B
authors: Saunders
authors: Noha
authors: N
authors: Farag
authors: Andrea S
authors: AS
authors: Vincent
authors: Frank L
authors: FL
authors: Collins
authors: Kristen H
authors: KH
authors: Sorocco
authors: William R
authors: WR
authors: Lovallo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological