title: Limbic striatal dopamine D2/3 receptor availability is associated with non-planning impulsivity in healthy adults after exclusion of potential dissimulators.
abstract: Positron emission tomography (PET) studies have reported an association between reduced striatal dopamine D2/3 receptor availability and higher scores on self-report measures of trait impulsivity in healthy adults. However, impulsivity is a multi-faceted construct, and it is unclear which aspect(s) of impulsivity might be driving these associations. The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between limbic (ventral) striatal D2/3 receptor availability and individual components of impulsivity (attentional, motor and non-planning) using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and [(11)C]raclopride PET in 23 healthy volunteers. A partial correlational analysis showed a significant association between non-planning impulsiveness (lack of forethought or 'futuring') and limbic D2/3 receptor availability, which was only apparent after the exclusion of potential dissimulators (indexed by high scores on impression management). Our findings suggest that non-planning impulsiveness is associated with individual variation in limbic striatal D2/3 receptor availability and that different facets of impulsivity may have specific neurochemical correlates. Future studies that combine D2/3 receptor imaging with behavioral measures of impulsivity are required to further elucidate the precise relationship between individual components of trait impulsivity and brain dopaminergic function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, UK. suzanne.j.reeves@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Suzanne J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Reeves
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Polling
authors.forename: Paul R A
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Stokes
authors.forename: Julia M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lappin
authors.forename: Paul P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Shotbolt
authors.forename: Mitul A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Oliver D
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Howes
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Egerton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010551:Personality; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3; D004298:Dopamine