title: The relationship between impulsive choice and impulsive action: a cross-species translational study.
abstract: Maladaptive impulsivity is a core symptom in various psychiatric disorders. However, there is only limited evidence available on whether different measures of impulsivity represent largely unrelated aspects or a unitary construct. In a cross-species translational study, thirty rats were trained in impulsive choice (delayed reward task) and impulsive action (five-choice serial reaction time task) paradigms. The correlation between those measures was assessed during baseline performance and after pharmacological manipulations with the psychostimulant amphetamine and the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine. In parallel, to validate the animal data, 101 human subjects performed analogous measures of impulsive choice (delay discounting task, DDT) and impulsive action (immediate and delayed memory task, IMT/DMT). Moreover, all subjects completed the Stop Signal Task (SST, as an additional measure of impulsive action) and filled out the Barratt impulsiveness scale (BIS-11). Correlations between DDT and IMT/DMT were determined and a principal component analysis was performed on all human measures of impulsivity. In both rats and humans measures of impulsive choice and impulsive action did not correlate. In rats the within-subject pharmacological effects of amphetamine and atomoxetine did not correlate between tasks, suggesting distinct underlying neural correlates. Furthermore, in humans, principal component analysis identified three independent factors: (1) self-reported impulsivity (BIS-11); (2) impulsive action (IMT/DMT and SST); (3) impulsive choice (DDT). This is the first study directly comparing aspects of impulsivity using a cross-species translational approach. The present data reveal the non-unitary nature of impulsivity on a behavioral and pharmacological level. Collectively, this warrants a stronger focus on the relative contribution of distinct forms of impulsivity in psychopathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nienke
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Broos
authors.forename: Lianne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schmaal
authors.forename: Joost
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wiskerke
authors.forename: Lennard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kostelijk
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Nicky
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stoop
authors.forename: Lonneke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Weierink
authors.forename: Jannemieke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ham
authors.forename: Eco J C
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: de Geus
authors.forename: Anton N M
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Schoffelmeer
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van den Brink
authors.forename: Dick J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Veltman
authors.forename: Taco J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: Tommy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pattij
authors.forename: Anna E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Goudriaan
mesh_terms: D000661:Amphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000069445:Atomoxetine Hydrochloride; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D011437:Propylamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D012107:Research Design; D012201:Reward; D057566:Self Report; D013045:Species Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011437:Propylamines; D000069445:Atomoxetine Hydrochloride; D000661:Amphetamine