Archerub

Impulsivity and Substance abuse

Impulsivity is charaterized by actions based on sudden desires, whims, or inclinations rather than careful thought . There seems to be a clear link with substance abuse and impulsivity. In studies that have measured impulsivity in substance-dependent people, results have shown support to the link that exists between impulsivity and substance abuse . It was also found that individuals that are use multiple drugs tend to be more impulsive. In a study that looked at the genetic influence of impulsivity hypothesized that the loss of impulse control may be due to impaired inhibitory control resulting from drug induced changes that take place in the frontal cortex. The neurodevelopmental and hormonal changes that happen during adolescence may modulate impulse control that could possibly lead to the experimentation with drugs and may lead to the road of addiction.

Previous research done on drug use and impulsivity examined the behavior of high-functioning drug abusers and healthy controls using the Iowa gambling task. In this experiment players were asked to make a series of choices from four deck of cards. The choices led to monetary gains and losses. The results showed that in a forgone payoff condition, people who were drug abusers made more risky choices. In another study conducted by researchers , they found that by using the Iowa gambling task, the control group made better deck choices compared to the marijuana group. Results showed that the marijuana group made better choices than the stimulant group.