ABSTRACT
Impulsivity is defined as a predisposition toward rapid, unplanned reactions to internal or external stimuli with little regard for the negative consequences to the individual or others (Moeller et al. 2001). This facet of behavior is highly relevant for a host of psychiatric disorders where the ability to govern and refrain from committing rapid, unplanned reactions is objectively diminished; and substance use disorders (SUD) may represent the most prominent example. Considerable research has shown that individuals with SUD have poor impulse control in a variety of self-report measures and behavioral laboratory tasks (Kjome et al. 2010; MacKillop et al. 2011; Hamilton et al. 2015a, 2015b) and that the function of the neurobiological substrates of impulse control is altered in these individuals (Volkow et al. 2011; Ersche et al. 2012). Among a host of other mitigating factors that are broadly encompassed by environment and genetics, research on impulse control increases the understanding of the conditions that precipitate the maladaptive choice to use drugs. This research has provided evidence for arguments that addiction is not completely volitional, consistent with the definition of impulsivity as an uncontrolled reaction to salient stimuli.
