Genetics of impulsive behaviour

Abstract

Impulsivity, defined as the tendency to act without foresight, comprises a multitude of constructs and is associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders. Dissecting different aspects of impulsive behaviour and relating these to specific neurobiological circuits would improve our understanding of the etiology of complex behaviours for which impulsivity is key, and advance genetic studies in this behavioural domain. In this review, we will discuss the heritability of some impulsivity constructs and their possible use as endophenotypes (heritable, disease-associated intermediate phenotypes). Several functional genetic variants associated with impulsive behaviour have been identified by the candidate gene approach and re-sequencing, and whole genome strategies can be implemented for discovery of novel rare and common alleles influencing impulsivity. Via deep sequencing an uncommon HTR2B stop codon, common in one population, was discovered, with implications for understanding impulsive behaviour in both humans and rodents and for future gene discovery.

Is Impulsivity a Male Trait Rather than Female Trait? Exploring the Sex Difference in Impulsivity

“…The sex difference in impulsivity is therefore subject to maturational, neuro-pharmacological and hormonal changes during adolescence and adulthood. The emerging evidence for the genetic role in impulsivity [2,59,60] could also perhaps explain sex differences in impulsivity in the future.…”

“…Impulsivity generally refers to acting without forethought [1,2]. It can be seen as a set of heterogeneous suboptimal behaviors along two dimensions.…”

Serotonin 5-HT2Receptor Interactions with Dopamine Function: Implications for Therapeutics in Cocaine Use Disorder

“…Several SNPs in the promoter or coding regions of the genes for 5-HT 2A R (HTR 2A ) and 5-HT 2C R (HTR 2C ) have been shown to associate with personality traits, psychiatric conditions, and response to psychiatric medications such as atypical antipsychotics and antidepressants. Impulsivity has been Cocaine, 5-HT 2 Receptors, and Dopamine associated with genotypes that predict reduced 5-HT function (Bjork et al, 2002;Bevilacqua et al, 2010;Stoltenberg et al, 2012;Bevilacqua and Goldman, 2013). The HTR 2A A(-1438)G SNP was associated with response inhibition in two specific behavioral tasks in normal subjects (Nomura et al, 2006) and impulsive behavior in bulimia (Bruce et al, 2005).The HTR 2A T10 2C SNP is associated with impulse control in cocaine-dependent subjects (Bjork et al, 2002).…”

The appropriate response of Spanish Gitanos: short-run orientation beyond current socio-economic status

“…DD is considered to be a measure of one of the multiple domains of impulsivity, namely "impulsive choice" (Bevilacqua & Goldman, 2013;Reynolds et al, 2006). DD is a relatively stable individual characteristic (Ohmura et al, 2006;Kirby, 2009) and people differ greatly in the extent to which they discount the future (Frederick et al, 2002).…”

“…However, the factors underlying such inter-individual differences remain poorly understood. On the one hand, there is evidence suggesting that DD rates may be genetically determined to some extent (Anokhin et al, 2011(Anokhin et al, , 2015Aycinena & Rentschler, 2017;Bevilacqua & Goldman, 2013). On the other hand, people's current socio-economic conditions, as proxied by variables such as education and income, also seem to be related to DD: poorer and less educated individuals have been found to discount the future more heavily (Harrison et al, 2002;Kirby et al 2002;Tanaka et al, 2010), although the causal direction is unclear (Becker & Mulligan, 1997).…”