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At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Violent behavior, impulsive decision-making, and anterograde amnesia while intoxicated with flunitrazepam and alcohol or other drugs: a case study in forensic psychiatric patients.

It is known that many male juvenile delinquents commit violent crimes while intoxicated with flunitrazepam (FZ), often in combination with alcohol or other drugs. We have also noted the combined abuse of FZ with, for example, alcohol in male forensic psychiatric patients. Our objective was to study violent behavior, impulsive decision-making, and amnesia in male forensic psychiatric patients who were intoxicated predominantly with FZ, to increase knowledge of the abuse of FZ in vulnerable subjects. We studied five forensic psychiatric patients, all of whom were assessed in 1998. All of the subjects reported earlier reactions to FZ, including hostility and anterograde amnesia. At the time of their crimes they were all intoxicated with FZ, often in combination with alcohol or other drugs, such as amphetamine or cannabis. In contrast to their behavior based on their ordinary psychological characteristics, their crimes were extremely violent, and the subjects lacked both the ability to think clearly and to have empathy with their victims. Our observations support the view that FZ abuse can lead to serious violent behavior in subjects characterized by vulnerable personality traits, and that this effect is confounded by the concurrent use of alcohol or other drugs. It is evident that FZ causes anterograde amnesia. Previous research and the results presented herein allow us to draw the following conclusion: on the basis of the neuropsychopharmacologic properties of FZ, legal decisions, such as declaring FZ an illegal drug, are needed in countries where it is now legal.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Laboratory measured behavioral impulsivity relates to suicide attempt history.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between laboratory behavioral measured impulsivity (using the Immediate and Delayed Memory Tasks) and suicidal attempt histories. Three groups of adults were recruited, those with either: no previous suicide attempts (Control, n = 20), only a single suicide attempt (Single, n = 20), or multiple suicidal attempts (Multiple, n = 10). As hypothesized, impulsive responses increased with the number of suicide attempts (Control < Single < Multiple). This study helps to demonstrate how laboratory behavioral measures of impulsivity can be used to discriminate groups based on suicidal histories among samples not currently exhibiting significant suicidal behaviors.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism in a Brazilian sample: further support for the association with impulsive behaviors and alcohol dependence.

The enzyme monoamine oxidase A (MAO A) plays an important role in the metabolism of neurotransmitters. The MAOA gene presents several polymorphisms, including a 30-bp VNTR in the promoter region (MAOA-uVNTR). Alleles with 3.5 and 4 repeats are 2-10 times more efficient than the 3-repeat allele. Several studies have shown an association between the 3-repeat allele and a cluster of externalizing behaviors including alcoholism, antisocial personality, and impulsivity. The objective of the present study is to replicate in a different culture the associations between the MAOA-uVNTR with alcoholism and other phenotypes. The sample comprises 125 Brazilian alcoholics of European descent and 235 controls. The results suggest that the 3-repeat allele is associated to: (1) alcohol dependence (P < 0.05); (2) an earlier onset of alcoholism (P < 0.01); (3) comorbid drug abuse among alcoholics (P < 0.05); and (4) a higher number of antisocial symptoms (P < 0.02). Our results confirmed previous reports showing an association of the low activity 3-repeat allele of MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism with substance dependence and impulsive/antisocial behaviors. These findings in a different culture further support the influence of the MAOA-uVNTR in psychiatric disorders.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1982

Lithium treatment of impulsive behavior in children.

Children who display sporadic unprovoked physical aggression and are refractory to usual treatment pose a difficult management problem. A group of 14 such children were matched with a control group; behaviors of both groups were observed and recorded for 3 months. The experimental group was then maintained on high doses of lithium carbonate for 3 months. Behavioral recordings were continued during this period and for 3 months after discontinuation of lithium. While on lithium, the children showed a substantial reduction in unprovoked aggressive outbursts. Because lithium was well tolerated and laboratory and clinical examinations did not show any adverse effects, it is suggested that lithium may be an important therapeutic agent in the treatment of aggression in children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Stress coping strategy in Japanese patients with eating disorders: relationship with bulimic and impulsive behaviors.

Although maladaptive coping strategies in eating disorder patients have been reported, the relationship between impulsivity and coping strategy has not previously been studied. Subjects consisted of 43 patients with anorexia nervosa restricting type (AN-R), 42 patients with anorexia nervosa binge eating/purging type (AN-BP), 71 patients with bulimia nervosa purging type (BN), and 97 controls. The Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations was used to evaluate coping strategies. Only AN-BP patients had a significantly lower task oriented-coping score than controls, and AN-R and BN patient groups used significantly less social diversion-avoidance coping strategies than controls. Emotion-oriented coping scores of AN-BP and BN patients were significantly higher than those of controls. In addition, impulsive BN patients had significantly higher emotional coping scores than less impulsive BN patients. These results suggest that maladaptive coping strategies may be a perpetuating factor even for impulsive patients and emphasizing a change in maladaptive coping strategies may be a useful treatment strategy even for highly impulsive patients.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1997

Insights into the neurobiology of impulsive behavior from serotonin receptor knockout mice.

Although the concept of impulsivity has proved useful in human and animal studies of addiction, violent aggression, and violent suicide, and has been recognized as an important component of human behavior, little research has been done to understand the underlying psychobiological mechanisms. We explore the concept of impulsivity and its relation with the neurotransmitter serotonin in the context of aggressive behavior and behavior associated with positive reinforcement using a knockout mouse that lacks one of the serotonin receptors, the 5-HT1B receptor. This knockout mouse shows more impulsive aggression, acquires cocaine self-administration faster, and drinks more alcohol than the corresponding wild-type control. We show that the impulsive characteristics of these mice are not due to change in cognitive functions: in a cognitive task involving a choice between a small immediate one and a larger more delayed reward, knockout mice showed intact choice and timing capabilities and good discrimination of reward amounts. Thus, this mouse may prove an animal model of addiction and motor impulsivity.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Behavioral impulsivity predicts treatment outcome in a smoking cessation program for adolescent smokers.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between impulsivity and smoking cessation treatment response among adolescents. METHODS: Thirty adolescent smokers participated in a high school based smoking cessation program combining contingency management and cognitive behavioral therapy. Self-report (Barratt impulsiveness scale (BIS-II); Kirby delay discounting measure (DDM)) and behavioral (experiential discounting task (EDT); continuous performance task (CPT)) measures of impulsivity were assessed at treatment onset. RESULTS: Sixteen participants (53%) were abstinent from smoking at completion of the four-week study. Compared to abstinent adolescents, those not achieving abstinence discounted monetary rewards more on the EDT and committed more commission errors on the CPT. Group differences were not observed on the BIS-II or DDM. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results suggest that specific behavioral measures of impulsivity may be associated with the ability to initiate and/or maintain abstinence from smoking among adolescent smokers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Delay or probability discounting in a model of impulsive behavior: effect of alcohol.

Little is known about the acute effects of drugs of abuse on impulsivity and self-control. In this study, impulsivity was assessed in humans using a computer task that measured delay and probability discounting. Discounting describes how much the value of a reward (or punisher) is decreased when its occurrence is either delayed or uncertain. Twenty-four healthy adult volunteers ingested a moderate dose of ethanol (0.5 or 0.8 g/kg ethanol: n = 12 at each dose) or placebo before completing the discounting task. In the task the participants were given a series of choices between a small, immediate, certain amount of money and $10 that was either delayed (0, 2, 30, 180, or 365 days) or probabilistic (i.e., certainty of receipt was 1.0, .9, .75, .5, or .25). The point at which each individual was indifferent between the smaller immediate or certain reward and the $10 delayed or probabilistic reward was identified using an adjusting-amount procedure. The results indicated that (a) delay and probability discounting were well described by a hyperbolic function; (b) delay and probability discounting were positively correlated within subjects; (c) delay and probability discounting were moderately correlated with personality measures of impulsivity; and (d) alcohol had no effect on discounting.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Methylphenidate in hyperkinetic children: differences in dose effects on impulsive behavior.

This research tested the hypothesis that in hyperactive children a low dose of methylphenidate (0.3 mg/kg) would produce scores superior to those with a high dose (1.0 mg/kg) or placebo on the matching familiar figures test (MFF), a primary index of impulsivity. The hypothesis was based on an earlier finding that the highest percentage of correct responses on a short-term memory task were found in hyperactive subjects who were receiving 0.3 mg/kg of methylphenidate whereas at 1.0 mg/kg the percentage correct returned to the placebo level. The hypothesis was verified in that the low dose reduced the number of errors on the MFF significantly more than did placebo or the high dose. This work demonstrates that, for both learning and impulsivity in hyperactive children, the lower dose of the two doses of methylphenidate studied produced the preferable effect.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Impulsive behaviors in opiate-dependent subjects treated with naltrexone].

Thirty three heroin dependents (DSM-III-R) attending a naltrexone clinic were assessed to see if their histories of bulimic and non-suicidal self-aggressive behaviours would allow to predict the therapeutic response of the opioid antagonist. Neither these impulsive behaviours non previous suicide attempts or over-doses could predict such a response, which was evaluated according to the time spent under treatment with naltrexone. Before the administration of naltrexone, one or more of the studied impulsive conducts were detected in 87.8% of the sample (n = 29). None of the patients combined enough criteria to be diagnosed of bulimia (DSM-III-R). In 32 patients the occurrence of changes in the impulsive behaviours studied during the treatment period with the opioid antagonist were determined. These variations were not related to the determinations of abuse drugs in urine or with intake of psychoactive drugs. During the treatment with naltrexone, 15 patients ceased to present self-injuries without suicidal purposes and none of the patients began these behaviours for the first time. However, some patients without a previous history of bulimic behaviour developed this condition during the administration of the opioid antagonist. In this sense, four subgroups of patients can be differentiated according to the moment in which the bulimic behaviour appeared: subgroup A includes 7 individuals (21.7%) who discontinued this behaviour upon receiving the antagonist, while subgroup B (n = 3; 9.3%) is made up of those who presented this behaviour during both heroin consumption and the administration of naltrexone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Substance use and impulsive behaviors among adolescents with eating disorders.

Results of past research suggest that the existence of bulimic behaviors (binge eating and/or purging) may be an indicator of increased likelihood of substance use. We investigated incidence of substance use among adolescent girls (mean age = 15.4 years) with anorexia nervosa (n = 59) or bulimia nervosa (n = 58). The incidence of substance use among girls with anorexia nervosa was low, particularly after removing those anorexic adolescents with bulimic symptoms. Nearly one-third of girls with bulimia nervosa had smoked tobacco cigarettes, had used marijuana, and were drinking alcohol at least weekly. Among those exhibiting bulimic symptoms, increased experience with use of different substances was related to increased incidence of attempted suicide, stealing, and sexual intercourse but was unrelated to age or incidence of intentional self-harm behavior. Our findings are discussed in relation to the results of past research and the clinical implications of our data.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Heredity and role of serotonin in aggressive impulsive behavior].

The idea that heredity could influence behaviour, including personality is very old. Until the early 1980s, the evidence for genetic influences on personality derived almost exclusively from twin studies. More recently, studies comparing twins raised together with those raised in different environment confirmed that about 40% of the observed personality variance can be attributable to genetic factors. Since complex behaviours, such as those underlying personality functioning, are likely to be influenced by many genes, a continuum of genetic risk underlying behavioural dimensions that extend from normal to abnormal behaviour has been hypothesized. Behaviours related to aggressive impulses regulation could delineate a biologically anchored model of dispositions to both normal and pathological functioning: these behaviours are identified in animal species where they are genetically transmitted, and a growing body of evidence suggests that disturbances in the regulation of aggressive impulses could belong to a behavioural dimension (disturbances of impulse control) linked to serotonin. Theorists involved in modelling personality according to psychobiologic basis agree with the idea of an inhibitory function of serotonin on impulsive behaviour and recognise that the way individuals control their impulses could underlie a basic psychobiological personality dimension. According to genotypes and to environmental factors, these serotonin mediated behaviours may be diversely expressed varying from minor personality peculiarities (characterised by impulsivity, hostility, irritability, psychopathic deviance, excessive violence or by more clear-cut personality dysfunctioning such as antisocial, borderline, narcissistic and histrionic personality traits or disorders) to major psychiatric disturbances (suicidal behaviour, overt aggressive behaviour, intermittent explosive disorder, pathological gambling, pyromania, bulimia and some type of substance or alcohol abuse). Finally, recent molecular genetic studies have demonstrated that genes encoding some key proteins involved in serotonin transmission could present some polymorphism in relation with impulsive-aggressive behaviours.

Aggression↗
PubMed1980

The prediction of impulsive behavior: comparative validities of obvious vs. subtle MMPI hypomania (MA) items.

Assessed the relative predictive validity of obvious (0), neutral (N), and subtle (S) items of the MMPI Ma scale (N = 86 males). Subtle-obvious ratings were compared to criteria in the three types of measurement delineated by Cattell, namely, questionnaire, life-history, and objective tests. Ma-O was correlated positively with the Experience Seeking factor of the Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS) as well as time taken and errors on the Porteus Maze, while Ma-S was correlated positively with the Thrill and Adventure Seeking factor of the SSS and the biographic questionnaire. Ma-N, on the other hand, was not related to any criteria. Because the correlations among the criteria themselves were generally insignificant, it was suggested that hypomania is not a homogeneous construct.

Adult↗