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Published Online: 18 January 2022

Role of White Matter Microstructure in Impulsive Behavior

Eric L. Goldwaser, D.O., Ph.D. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9676-9230 [email protected], Xiaoming Du, Ph.D. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7206-5282, Bhim M. Adhikari, Ph.D., Mark Kvarta, M.D., Ph.D. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1093-1648, Joshua Chiappelli, M.D., Stephanie Hare, Ph.D., Wyatt Marshall, B.S., Anya Savransky, B.A., Kathleen Carino, B.S., B.A., Heather Bruce, M.D., Ashley Acheson, Ph.D., Peter Kochunov, Ph.D., and L. Elliot Hong, M.D.Authors Info & Affiliations
Publication: The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
Volume 34, Number 3
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.neuropsych.21070167
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Abstract

Objective:

Increased impulsivity is a hallmark trait of some neuropsychiatric illnesses, including addiction, traumatic brain injury, and externalizing disorders. The authors hypothesized that altered cerebral white matter microstructure may also underwrite normal individual variability in impulsive behaviors and tested this among healthy individuals.

Methods:

Impulsivity and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were collected from 74 healthy adults (32 women; mean age=36.6 years [SD=13.6]). Impulsivity was evaluated using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale–11, which provides a total score and scores for three subdomains: attentional, motor, and nonplanning impulsiveness. DTI was processed using the Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics Through Meta Analysis-DTI analysis pipeline to measure whole-brain and regional white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) values in 24 tracts.

Results:

Whole-brain total average FA was inversely correlated with motor impulsiveness (r=−0.32, p=0.007) and positively correlated with nonplanning impulsiveness (r=0.29, p=0.02); these correlations were significant after correction for multiple comparisons. Additional significant correlations were observed for motor impulsiveness and regional FA values for the corticospinal tract (r=−0.29, p=0.01) and for nonplanning impulsiveness and regional FA values for the superior fronto-occipital fasciculus (r=0.32, p=0.008).

Conclusions:

These results provide initial evidence that the motor and nonplanning subdomains of impulsive behavior are linked to specific white matter microstructural connectivity, supporting the notion that impulsivity is in part a network-based construct involving white matter microstructural integrity among otherwise healthy populations.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
Go to The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
Volume 34 • Number 3 • Summer 2022
Pages: 254 - 260
PubMed: 35040662

History

Received: 2 July 2021
Accepted: 20 September 2021
Published online: 18 January 2022
Published in print: Summer 2022

Keywords

  1. Impulsivity
  2. Barratt Impulsiveness Scale
  3. Diffusion Tensor Imaging
  4. Structural Connectivity
  5. Violence/Aggression

Authors

Affiliations

Eric L. Goldwaser, D.O., Ph.D. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9676-9230 [email protected]
Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (Goldwaser, Du, Adhikari, Kvarta, Chiappelli, Hare, Marshall, Savransky, Carino, Bruce, Kochunov, Hong); and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock (Acheson).
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Xiaoming Du, Ph.D. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7206-5282
Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (Goldwaser, Du, Adhikari, Kvarta, Chiappelli, Hare, Marshall, Savransky, Carino, Bruce, Kochunov, Hong); and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock (Acheson).
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Bhim M. Adhikari, Ph.D.
Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (Goldwaser, Du, Adhikari, Kvarta, Chiappelli, Hare, Marshall, Savransky, Carino, Bruce, Kochunov, Hong); and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock (Acheson).
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Mark Kvarta, M.D., Ph.D. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1093-1648
Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (Goldwaser, Du, Adhikari, Kvarta, Chiappelli, Hare, Marshall, Savransky, Carino, Bruce, Kochunov, Hong); and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock (Acheson).
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Joshua Chiappelli, M.D.
Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (Goldwaser, Du, Adhikari, Kvarta, Chiappelli, Hare, Marshall, Savransky, Carino, Bruce, Kochunov, Hong); and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock (Acheson).
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Stephanie Hare, Ph.D.
Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (Goldwaser, Du, Adhikari, Kvarta, Chiappelli, Hare, Marshall, Savransky, Carino, Bruce, Kochunov, Hong); and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock (Acheson).
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Wyatt Marshall, B.S.
Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (Goldwaser, Du, Adhikari, Kvarta, Chiappelli, Hare, Marshall, Savransky, Carino, Bruce, Kochunov, Hong); and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock (Acheson).
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Anya Savransky, B.A.
Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (Goldwaser, Du, Adhikari, Kvarta, Chiappelli, Hare, Marshall, Savransky, Carino, Bruce, Kochunov, Hong); and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock (Acheson).
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Kathleen Carino, B.S., B.A.
Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (Goldwaser, Du, Adhikari, Kvarta, Chiappelli, Hare, Marshall, Savransky, Carino, Bruce, Kochunov, Hong); and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock (Acheson).
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Heather Bruce, M.D.
Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (Goldwaser, Du, Adhikari, Kvarta, Chiappelli, Hare, Marshall, Savransky, Carino, Bruce, Kochunov, Hong); and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock (Acheson).
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Ashley Acheson, Ph.D.
Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (Goldwaser, Du, Adhikari, Kvarta, Chiappelli, Hare, Marshall, Savransky, Carino, Bruce, Kochunov, Hong); and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock (Acheson).
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Peter Kochunov, Ph.D.
Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (Goldwaser, Du, Adhikari, Kvarta, Chiappelli, Hare, Marshall, Savransky, Carino, Bruce, Kochunov, Hong); and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock (Acheson).
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L. Elliot Hong, M.D.
Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (Goldwaser, Du, Adhikari, Kvarta, Chiappelli, Hare, Marshall, Savransky, Carino, Bruce, Kochunov, Hong); and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock (Acheson).
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Notes

Send correspondence to Dr. Goldwaser ([email protected]).

Funding Information

Dr. Hong has received or is planning to receive research funding or consulting fees from Heptares, Luye Pharma, Mitsubishi, Neuralstem, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sound Pharma, Takeda, Taisho, and Your Energy Systems LLC. All other authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.Support was received through the University of Maryland/Sheppard Pratt Psychiatry Residency Program and the Physician-Scientist Training Program with protected time to engage in research and from NIH grants R01MH116948, R01MH112180, and P50MH103222.

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