title: Serotonin depletion induces 'waiting impulsivity' on the human four-choice serial reaction time task: cross-species translational significance.
abstract: Convergent results from animal and human studies suggest that reducing serotonin neurotransmission promotes impulsive behavior. Here, serotonin depletion was induced by the dietary tryptophan depletion procedure (TD) in healthy volunteers to examine the role of serotonin in impulsive action and impulsive choice. We used a novel translational analog of a rodent 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT)-- the human 4-CSRTT--and a reward delay-discounting questionnaire to measure effects on these different forms of 'waiting impulsivity'. There was no effect of TD on impulsive choice as indexed by the reward delay-discounting questionnaire. However, TD significantly increased 4-CSRTT premature responses (or impulsive action), which is remarkably similar to the previous findings of effect of serotonin depletion on rodent 5-CSRTT performance. Moreover, the increased premature responding in TD correlated significantly with individual differences on the motor impulsivity subscale of the Barratt Impulsivity Scale. TD also improved the accuracy of performance and speeded responding, possibly indicating enhanced attention and reward processing. The results suggest: (i) the 4-CSRTT will be a valuable addition to the tests already available to measure impulsivity in humans in a direct translational analog of a test extensively used in rodents; (ii) TD in humans produces a qualitatively similar profile of effects to those in rodents (ie, enhancing premature responding), hence supporting the conclusion that TD in humans exerts at least some of its effects on central serotonin; and (iii) this manipulation of serotonin produces dissociable effects on different measures of impulsivity, suggesting considerable specificity in its modulatory role.
authors.affiliation: Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Yulia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Worbe
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Savulich
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Voon
authors.affiliation: 1] Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK [2] Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Egea
authors.affiliation: 1] Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK [2] Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Trevor W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Robbins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D056344:Executive Function / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012201:Reward; D012701:Serotonin / Q000172:deficiency*; D013045:Species Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D014364:Tryptophan