title: Cognitive control links alcohol use, trait disinhibition, and reduced cognitive capacity: Evidence for medial prefrontal cortex dysregulation during reward-seeking behavior.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Guided by the prediction of response-outcome theory of cognitive control (Alexander and Brown, 2010a), the present study examined reward-seeking medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activity as a common neuro-functional marker of excessive alcohol consumption, trait disinhibition, and reduced cognitive capacity; all of which have shown consistent patterns of covariation in previous psychometric research (e.g., Bogg and Finn, 2010).
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 18-23-year-old university students with a heterogeneous prevalence of alcohol dependence was assessed with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while completing a version of the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (Lejuez et al., 2002). A follow-back typical weekly alcohol consumption interview, self-report measures of trait disinhibition and IQ, and a complex span working memory task also were administered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correlational region-of-interest analyses showed greater typical weekly alcohol consumption, greater trait disinhibition, and lower IQ were associated with greater reductions in mPFC activity during reward-seeking behaviors (successive inflation choices). The results also showed greater typical weekly alcohol consumption, greater trait disinhibition, and lower IQ were associated with greater increases in mPFC activity during reward-seeking outcomes (successive successful inflation outcomes). No significant relations with the measure of working memory were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest mPFC activity during risk/reward appraisal and performance monitoring is a common neuro-functional feature of co-varying expressions of excessive alcohol consumption, trait disinhibition, and lower IQ.
authors: Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, 5057 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. tdbogg@gmail.com
authors: Tim
authors: T
authors: Bogg
authors: Rena
authors: R
authors: Fukunaga
authors: Peter R
authors: PR
authors: Finn
authors: Joshua W
authors: JW
authors: Brown
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012201:Reward; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult