The role of the dorsal striatum in choice impulsivity

Abstract

It has long been recognized that the dorsal striatum is an essential brain region for control of action selection based on action–outcome contingency learning, particularly when the available actions are bound to rewarding outcomes. In principle, intertemporal choice in the delay‐discounting task—a validated measure of choice impulsivity—involves reward‐associated actions that require the recruitment of the dorsal striatum. Here, we conjecture about ways the dorsal striatum is involved in choice impulsivity. Based on a selective body of studies, we begin with a brief history of research on choice impulsivity and the dorsal striatum, and then provide a comprehensive summary of contemporary studies utilizing human neuroimaging and animal models to search for links between choice impulsivity and the dorsal striatum. In particular, we discuss in‐depth the converging evidence for the associations of choice impulsivity with the reward valuation coded by the caudate, a ventral‐to‐dorsal gradient in the dorsal striatum, the origins of striatal afferents, and developmental maturation of frontostriatal connectivity during adolescence.

Network failures: When incentives trigger impulsive responses

“…We therefore tentatively attribute the striatal involvement to the failure of control in the face of personally meaningful incentives. This explanation dovetails with the role of the dorsal striatum in canceling planned motor responses (Bari & Robbins, ; Eagle & Baunez, ) and impulsive choice (Kim & Im, ), while providing evidence for its involvement in additional aspects of impulsivity in humans.…”

The neural computation of human prosocial choices in complex motivational states

“…Previous studies have shown that the striatum supports the transfer of motivation (e.g., elicited by rewards) to goal-directed behaviors (Báez-Mendoza & Schultz, 2013; Bhanji & Delgado, 2014; Burton, Nakamura, & Roesch, 2015; Kim & Im, 2018; Salamone et al, 2016; Shohamy, 2011; Wang et al, 2013). Extending this previous evidence, we show that the dorsal striatum integrates choice preferences that are elicited by different motivational forces.…”

“…Animal studies, for example, have examined basic motivational states (e.g., elicited by food rewards) (Cromwell & Schultz, 2006; Palmiter, 2008; Wang, Miura, & Uchida, 2013). On the neural level, the processing of such basic motivational states and impact on behavioral choices (e.g., place preferences) (Jennings et al, 2013) have been linked to dopaminergic neurons in the striatum (Kim & Im, 2018; Robinson, Sotak, During, & Palmiter, 2006; Salamone & Correa, 2012). In line with these results, human neuroscience studies have shown that the striatum is involved in the processing of different individual motives, as well as motivated choice behaviors, both in the social (Báez-Mendoza & Schultz, 2013; Bhanji & Delgado, 2014) and non-social domain (Salamone et al, 2016; Shohamy, 2011).…”

Striatal bases of temporal discounting in early adolescents

“…In the study by de Water and colleagues (2017) in early adolescents, VS activity was positively correlated with a steeper rate of temporal discounting in the VS (de Water, et al, 2017). Given adult work suggesting functional differences across striatal subdivisions in temporal decision-making (Frost & McNaughton, 2017;Kim & Im, 2018), there may be value in examining the specific contributions of the striatal subdivisions to temporal decision-making in adolescents. However, to date, differences among striatal subdivisions have not yet been rigorously examined in adolescents, precluding an understanding of their specific contributions to temporal decision-making.…”

“…The striatum in particular is thought to be critically involved in steeper temporal discounting in adults. Enhanced activation in the striatal subdivisions (i.e., ventral striatum [VS], caudate, and putamen) has been associated with more frequent selection of SS options in adult temporal discounting studies (Kim & Im, 2018;Luo, Ainslie, Giragosian, & Monterosso, 2009;McClure, et al, 2007;McClure, et al, 2004). Further, adult studies provide evidence for specific contributions of the striatal subdivisions, with the VS signaling preference and predicting rewards and the caudate evaluating competing reward options during temporal decision-making (Frost & McNaughton, 2017;Kim & Im, 2018).…”