Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Subthalamic nucleus lesions increase impulsive action and decrease impulsive choice - mediation by enhanced incentive

Jason M Uslaner1, Terry E Robinson

  • 1Biopsychology and Neuroscience Programs, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, East Hall, 525 E. University Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48019-1109, USA. Jason_Uslaner@merck.com

The European Journal of Neuroscience
|November 1, 2006
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Baseline Mismatch Negativity Amplitude Predicts Direction and Magnitude of Ketamine Effect in Healthy Volunteers: A Disordinal Effect.

Biological psychiatry·2026
Same author

Escalation of cocaine consumption: tolerance versus sensitization of incentive salience.

Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·2026
Same author

Can the incentive-sensitization theory of addiction incorporate addiction to opioid drugs?

Psychopharmacology·2026
Same author

Drug Development.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association·2025
Same author

Biomarkers.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association·2025
Same author

Genetic architecture and mechanisms of host-microbiome interactions from a multi-cohort analysis of outbred laboratory rats.

Nature communications·2025
Same journal

Game-Based Foreign-Language Speech Rehearsal Improves Pitch Processing Beyond Speech Domain.

The European journal of neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Sleep Oscillations Across Cortical, Subcortical and Cerebellar Structures in Magnetoencephalography.

The European journal of neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Freezing of Gait Levodopa Response Pattern in Parkinson's Disease Provides Clues to Pathophysiology.

The European journal of neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Cognitive Flexibility and Bilingual Language Switching: An fMRI Meta-Analysis.

The European journal of neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Improved Motor Neuron Preservation and Axonal Recovery Following Experimental Sciatic Nerve Repair With Heterologous Fibrin Biopolymer.

The European journal of neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Topography of Regional Cerebral GABA<sub>A</sub> Receptor Availability in Parkinson's Disease Patients With Freezing of Gait.

The European journal of neuroscience·2026
See all related articles

Lesions in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) impact impulsivity, increasing behavioral disinhibition but decreasing decision-making deficits. These findings suggest the STN

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Psychology

Background:

  • The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is traditionally associated with motor control.
  • Emerging evidence suggests the STN's involvement in psychological processes, including impulsivity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of STN lesions on two distinct measures of impulsivity: 'impulsive action' and 'impulsive choice'.
  • To explore how pharmacological (amphetamine) and environmental (food restriction) manipulations interact with STN lesions in modulating impulsive behaviors.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a differential reinforcement of low rates of responding (DRL) task to measure 'impulsive action' (behavioral disinhibition).
  • Employed a delay discounting task to assess 'impulsive choice' (impulsive decision-making).
  • Administered amphetamine and implemented food restriction in STN-lesioned and sham control animals.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • STN lesions significantly increased 'impulsive action' on the DRL task.
  • STN lesions significantly decreased 'impulsive choice' on the delay discounting task.
  • Both amphetamine and food restriction exacerbated the increase in 'impulsive action' and the decrease in 'impulsive choice' in STN-lesioned animals compared to controls.

Conclusions:

  • The subthalamic nucleus plays a dual role in behavioral control, modulating both action execution and decision-making.
  • STN lesions appear to enhance the motivational drive towards rewards, potentially explaining the observed effects on impulsivity.
  • The STN represents a potential therapeutic target for disorders characterized by impaired behavioral control, such as addiction and ADHD.