Gonadal hormones and impulsivity facets: moderating roles of cortisol and anxiety

Impulsivity is a multidimensional construct that reflects both affective reactivity and cognitive control processes. Although gonadal hormones have been implicated in impulsive behavior, their associations with specific impulsivity facets may depend on contextual physiological and affective conditions. In this study, we ask whether internal neuroendocrine and psychological states moderate associations between gonadal hormones and impulsivity facets. Salivary levels of testosterone, estradiol, and cortisol are assessed in a mixed sample of 197 participants comprised of 66 men, 68 users of oral contraceptives, and 63 naturally cycling women in the mid-luteal phase. Participants complete the four facets of the Urgency-Premeditation-Perseverance-Sensation (UPPS) Impulsive Behavior scale and a measure of state anxiety. Moderated regression analyses examine whether cortisol levels and anxiety moderate associations between gonadal hormones and impulsivity facets. Results indicate that hormonal associations with impulsivity are context-dependent. Cortisol and anxiety moderate associations between gonadal hormones and regulatory facets of impulsivity. In particular, estradiol shows context-dependent associations with lack of premeditation and lack of perseverance, whereas testosterone is associated with perseverance at higher anxiety levels. These effects are specific to regulatory facets of impulsivity and are not observed for urgency or sensation-seeking. The findings suggest that associations between gonadal hormones and impulsive behavior may be contingent upon concurrent neuroendocrine and psychological contexts.