title: Dissociated neural substrates underlying impulsive choice and impulsive action.
abstract: There is a growing consensus that impulsivity is a multifaceted construct that comprises several components such as impulsive choice and impulsive action. Although impulsive choice and impulsive action have been shown to be the common characteristics of some impulsivity-related psychiatric disorders, surprisingly few studies have directly compared their neural correlates and addressed the question whether they involve common or distinct neural correlates. We addressed this important empirical gap using an individual differences approach that could characterize the functional relevance of neural networks in behaviors. A large sample (n=227) of college students was tested with the delay discounting and stop-signal tasks, and their performances were correlated with the neuroanatomical (gray matter volume, GMV) and functional (resting-state functional connectivity, RSFC) measures, using multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) and 10-fold cross-validation. Behavioral results showed no significant correlation between impulsive choice measured by discounting rate (k) and impulsive action measured by stop signal reaction time (SSRT). The GMVs in the right frontal pole (FP) and left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) were predictive of k, but not SSRT. In contrast, the GMVs in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), supplementary motor area (SMA), and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) could predict individuals' SSRT, but not k. RSFC analysis using the FP and right IFG as seed regions revealed two distinct networks that correspond well to the "waiting" and "stopping" systems, respectively. Furthermore, the RSFC between the FP and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) was predictive of k, whereas the RSFC between the IFG and pre-SMA was predictive of SSRT. These results demonstrate clearly neural dissociations between impulsive choice and impulsive action, provide new insights into the nature of impulsivity, and have implications for impulsivity-related disorders.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
authors.forename: Chunhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
authors.forename: Siyao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
authors.forename: Hanqi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine 92697, United States.
authors.forename: Chuansheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China. Electronic address: guixue@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xue
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D065786:Delay Discounting / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Delay discounting; Impulsive action; Impulsive choice; MVPA; Resting-state functional connectivity; Stop-signal task; VBM