# Neurofunctional Differences in Cognitive and Behavioral Impulsivity in Veterans with PTSD

> **NIH VA IK2** · VETERANS AFFAIRS MED CTR SAN FRANCISCO · 2022 · —

## Abstract

Adverse outcomes, such as aggressive behavior, risk-taking, and suicide, associated with Posttraumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD) are an ongoing public health concern in Veteran populations. However, PTSD-related impulsive
behavior has only recently become a major clinical research interest. Theoretical models suggest a link between
PTSD and impulsivity. Cognitive neuroscience research indicates that impulsivity can be represented by two
subdomains: cognitive impulsivity (also called choice impulsivity) or elevated sensitivity to immediate
gratification and behavioral impulsivity (also called rapid response impulsivity) or difficulties with behavioral
inhibition. Where cognitive impulsivity is associated with adverse outcomes such as risky sexual behavior and
substance abuse, behavioral impulsivity is associated with violent outbursts and intimate partner violence.
Research suggests that cognitive and behavioral impulsivity may have separate neuropathological origins. For
example, cognitive impulsivity appears to be linked to two neurofunctional abnormalities: 1) an underperforming
self-control network that extends from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) to the dorsal striatum and 2)
an oversensitive reward network, which extends from ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) to ventral
striatum. On the other hand, behavioral impulsivity appears to be associated with a reduced connectivity within
a right-lateralized inhibitory control pathway that extends from the right frontal region (right inferior frontal
cortex, right dlPFC) and passes through the right temporoparietal region.
Understanding how cognitive and behavioral impulsivity are linked to PTSD may provide a path for uncovering
the different ways impulsivity and its subdomains interact with PTSD-related adverse outcomes in Veterans.
Well validated, fMRI amenable tasks allow for the interrogation of separate cognitive and behavioral impulsivity
neurocircuit systems, which could be utilized to further understand PTSD neuropathology. For example,
temporal discounting (TD) tasks, which examine intertemporal choice between larger later reinforcers and
smaller sooner ones provide a simple yet quantifiable index of cognitive impulsivity. Similarly, go-no-go (GNG)
tasks have been shown to be effective in assessing behavioral impulsivity by examining the frequency of
commission errors (i.e. when a participant responds to no-go stimuli). However, investigations that have
examined the neuroactivation and functional connectivity that underlie PTSD – related impulsivity and its
subdomains in Veteran populations are sparse. Therefore, we aim to 1) use an fMRI TD task to examine the
functional neuroanatomical underpinnings of cognitive impulsivity in Veterans with PTSD and 2) use an fMRI
GNG task to examine the functional neuroanatomical underpinnings of behavioral impulsivity in Veterans with
elevated PTSD levels. Examining PTSD-related impulsivity within the context of broader neural network
dysfunc...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10124006
- **Project number:** 1IK2CX001973-01A2
- **Recipient organization:** VETERANS AFFAIRS MED CTR SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Dmitri A. Young
- **Activity code:** IK2 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-10-01 → 2025-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10124006

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10124006, Neurofunctional Differences in Cognitive and Behavioral Impulsivity in Veterans with PTSD (1IK2CX001973-01A2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10124006. Licensed CC0.

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