Cognitive control links alcohol use, trait disinhibition, and reduced cognitive capacity: Evidence for medial prefrontal cortex dysregulation during reward-seeking behavior

Background: Guided by the prediction of response-outcome theory of cognitive control (Alexander and Brown, 2010a), the present study examined reward-seeking medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activity as a common neuro-functional marker of excessive alcohol consumption, trait disinhibition, and reduced cognitive capacity; all of which have shown consistent patterns of covariation in previous psychometric research (e.g., Bogg and Finn, 2010).

Methods: A sample of 18-23-year-old university students with a heterogeneous prevalence of alcohol dependence was assessed with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while completing a version of the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (Lejuez et al., 2002). A follow-back typical weekly alcohol consumption interview, self-report measures of trait disinhibition and IQ, and a complex span working memory task also were administered.

Results: Correlational region-of-interest analyses showed greater typical weekly alcohol consumption, greater trait disinhibition, and lower IQ were associated with greater reductions in mPFC activity during reward-seeking behaviors (successive inflation choices). The results also showed greater typical weekly alcohol consumption, greater trait disinhibition, and lower IQ were associated with greater increases in mPFC activity during reward-seeking outcomes (successive successful inflation outcomes). No significant relations with the measure of working memory were found.

Conclusions: The findings suggest mPFC activity during risk/reward appraisal and performance monitoring is a common neuro-functional feature of co-varying expressions of excessive alcohol consumption, trait disinhibition, and lower IQ.