Correlation between Traits of Emotion-Based Impulsivity and Intrinsic Default-Mode Network Activity

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Urgency, encompassing negative and positive urgency, is linked to high-risk behaviors like eating disorders and substance use.
• Understanding the neural underpinnings of urgency is crucial for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between trait urgency and resting-state brain activity.
• To explore how urgency traits correlate with brain function in healthy adults.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess brain activity.
• Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations (ALFF) was measured in 85 healthy volunteers.
• Functional connectivity analyses were performed using the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus as a seed region.

Main Results:

• Trait urgency measures correlated with ALFF in key brain regions, including the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, medial frontal cortex, and cingulate cortex.
• Significant correlations were found between trait urgency and functional connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus and the thalamus/midbrain.

Conclusions:

• Resting-state brain activity, particularly in frontocingulate regions and their connections, is associated with trait urgency.
• These findings suggest a neural basis for impulsive behaviors related to urgency in healthy individuals.