Neuroanatomy reflects individual variability in impulsivity in youth

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Individual differences in neural circuits are linked to psychiatric disorders, with impulsivity being a key manifestation.
• Impulsivity involves rapid, unplanned reactions and difficulty with response inhibition.
• Understanding the neural underpinnings of impulsivity is crucial for addressing related psychiatric conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the neural bases of impulsivity using multivariate machine learning approaches.
• To investigate the relationship between neuroanatomical features and multiple measures of impulsivity in a large youth cohort.
• To examine how these relationships vary across developmental time points and between sexes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized multivariate machine learning (brain-based predictive models) on data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study.
• Analyzed neuroanatomical features including cortical thickness, surface area, and gray matter volume.
• Included multiple impulsivity measures and considered both female and male participants across multiple longitudinal follow-ups.

Main Results:

• Regional variations in cortical thickness, surface area, and gray matter volume significantly predicted self-reported impulsivity.
• Impulsivity was broadly associated with default mode, limbic, ventral attention, and visual networks, as well as cerebellar and brain stem structures.
• Observed both stable relationships and dynamic, sex-specific changes in neuroanatomical associations with impulsivity over time.

Conclusions:

• Neuroanatomy is significantly linked to self-reported impulsivity in youth.
• The relationship between neuroanatomy and impulsivity is complex, varying across measures, features, sexes, and developmental stages.
• Emphasizes the need for multivariate and sex-specific approaches in neuroimaging and behavioral research on impulsivity.