Neural correlate of impulsivity in subjects at ultra-high risk for psychosis

• Published in: Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry Vol. 45; pp. 165 - 169
• Main Authors: Lee, Tae Young, Kim, Sung Nyun, Jang, Joon Hwan, Shim, Geumsook, Jung, Wi Hoon, Shin, Na Young, Kwon, Jun Soo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.08.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Anterior cingulate; Atrophy - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Female; Frontal Lobe - pathology; Gyrus Cinguli - pathology; Humans; Impulsive Behavior - complications; Impulsive Behavior - pathology; Impulsive Behavior - psychology; Impulsivity; Male; Medical sciences; Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated - pathology; Neuroimaging; Neuropharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Prefrontal Cortex - pathology; Psychotic Disorders - complications; Psychotic Disorders - pathology; Psychotic Disorders - psychology; Risk Factors; Ultra-high risk for psychosis; Voxel-based morphometry; VBM; ADHD; ACC; Impulsivity; DLPFC; APS; Voxel-based morphometry; K-WAIS; BIS-11; OFC; ROI; Anterior cingulate; SCID-I; BIPS; BPD; GRD; SCID-NP; HC; Ultra-high risk for psychosis; UHR; SIPS; Human; High risk; Central nervous system; Encephalon; Psychosis; Cingulate cortex; Risk factor; Morphometry; Prepsychotic state; attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; Korean version of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale; Structured Interview of Prodromal Symptoms; Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Non-Patient version; brief intermittent psychotic symptoms state; dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; attenuated positive symptoms state; orbitofrontal cortex; healthy controls; anterior cingulate cortex; subjects at ultra-high risk for psychosis; regions of interest; Barratt impulsiveness scale, version-11; genetic risk with deterioration state; borderline personality disorder; Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I
• ISSN: 0278-5846; 1878-4216; 1878-4216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2013.04.008

Impulsivity is one of the most commonly reported behavioral characteristics of patients with schizophrenia. Although there is accumulating evidence regarding behavioral problems in individuals at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis, as yet, no study has reported on impulsivity in this population. The aim of the present study was to assess impulsivity in UHR subjects and to investigate the associated gray matter correlates. This study included 32 UHR subjects and 32 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs). The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version-11 (BIS-11) was employed to assess impulsivity. Differences between the groups in gray matter volume in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) were assessed. Then, a correlational analysis between the BIS-11 scores and significant clusters of gray matter volume was conducted in UHR subjects. UHR subjects were more impulsive than HC subjects in terms of attention (t=3.5187, p<0.01), motor (t=3.1751, p<0.01), and non-planning (t=4.4154, p<0.01) scores. The gray matter volume of the ACC was negatively correlated with the motor (r=−0.472, p<0.01) and non-planning (r=−0.354, p=0.04) scores of the BIS-11 in UHR subjects. These results suggest that impulsivity in UHR subjects may reflect altered integrated conflict processing, which likely stems from abnormalities in the ACC, rather than altered reward/punishment processing or executive control. •UHR had significantly higher impulsivity compared with the HC.•UHR had lower gray matter volume in the ACC compared with values for HC.•ACC volume was significantly correlated with the motor, nonplanning impulsivity.