The DOI matches its Crossref record; 41 of the 41 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Neural response to reward anticipation is modulated by Gray's impulsivity
Abstract
According to the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST), Gray's dimension of impulsivity, reflecting human trait reward sensitivity, determines the extent to which stimuli activate the Behavioural Approach System (BAS). The potential neural underpinnings of the BAS, however, remain poorly understood. In the present study, we examined the association between Gray's impulsivity as defined by the RST and event-related fMRI BOLD-response to anticipation of reward in twenty healthy human subjects in brain regions previously associated with reward processing. Anticipation of reward during a Monetary Incentive Delay Task elicited activation in key components of the human reward circuitry such as the ventral striatum, the amygdala and the orbitofrontal cortex. Interindividual differences in Gray's impulsivity accounted for a significant amount of variance of the reward-related BOLD-response in the ventral striatum and the orbitofrontal cortex. Specifically, higher trait reward sensitivity was associated with increased activation in response to cues indicating potential reward. Extending previous evidence, here we show that variance in functional brain activation during anticipation of reward is attributed to interindividual differences regarding Gray's dimension of impulsivity. Thus, trait reward sensitivity contributes to the modulation of responsiveness in major components of the human reward system which thereby display a core property of the BAS. Generally, fostering our understanding of the neural underpinnings of the association of reward-related interindividual differences in affective traits might aid researchers in quest for custom-tailored treatments of psychiatric disorders, further disentangling the complex relationship between personality traits, emotion, and health.
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“Additionally, experimental data suggest an association between risky and impulsive behavior, which is characteristic of ADHD,14–16 and dopamine release or dopamine-dependent BOLD response to rewards in the striatum.11,17–20”
From Striatal sensitivity during reward processing in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (2012) · cites this paper as [19]
In the citing paper
“First, there is a positive association between trait impulsivity or reward-related impulsivity and neural activation in the striatum following reward-predicting cues19,20,22 in healthy adult samples”
From Striatal sensitivity during reward processing in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (2012) · cites this paper as [19]
Citations
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Abber, S. R., Murray, S. M., Brown, C. S., & Wierenga, C. E. (2024) · International Journal of Eating Disorders · doi:10.1002/eat.24156 · Cited by 7
“More broadly, higher BAS (approach) has also been associated with increased ventral/dorsal striatum activation (Beaver et al., 2006; Hahn et al., 2009; Simon et al., 2010), whereas higher BIS (avoidance) is associated with insula and amygdala function (Kennis et al., 2013).”
Gonçalves, S. F., Mauro, K. L., Kinsey-Kerr, M. G., Fuentes, A. G., Thompson, J. C., & Chaplin, T. M. (2022) · Neuropsychologia · doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108371 · Cited by 5
Personality Traits Induce Different Brain Patterns When Processing Social and Valence Information
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“With respect to the NAcc, although fMRI studies have linked impulsive behaviors with NAcc activity (Hahn et al., 2009; Hariri et al., 2006), the volumetric findings are less conclusive (Pan et al., 2021).”
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“Hahn et al. (2009) studied the relationship, in 20 healthy subjects, between impulsiveness, according to Gray’s notions, and event-related fMRI BOLD-response to reward anticipation in brain regions associated with reward processing.”
BackgroundLou, J., Tian, X., Sun, Y., Xian, J., Lei, W., Wang, M., & Liu, B. (2025) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/s41398-025-03687-8 · Cited by 5
“The BAS, links to dopaminergic pathways and the nucleus accumbens, controls reward processing and goal-directed behavior [18, 19].”
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“These latter 96 studies instead report a relative VS hyperactivity in individuals with elevated ADHD 97 symptoms (26, 27).”
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Zald, D. H., & Dennis, N. J. (2025) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-77967-1_6 · Cited by 1
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Reward Network Activations of Win Versus Loss in a Monetary Gambling Task
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“People with high sensitivity for reward exhibit a tendency to engage in goaldirected behavior and to experience pleasure when exposed to reward cues (Carver & White, 1994; Gard, Gard, Kring, & John, 2006), and recruit reward-processing brain regions (Beaver et al., 2006; Hahn et al., 2009).”
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Mania and Bipolar Spectrum Disorders
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Subacute effects of ketamine on neural correlates of reward processing
Briem, E., Stöhrmann, P., Dörl, G., Milz, C., Schlosser, G., Klöbl, M., Reed, M., Atger, M., Schmidt, C., Graf, S., et al. (2026) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/s41398-026-04485-6
Metadata
- Authors
- Hahn, T., Dresler, T., Ehlis, A.-C., Plichta, M. M., Heinzel, S., Polak, T., Lesch, K.-P., Breuer, F., Jakob, P. M., & Fallgatter, A. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Würzburg (DE)
- MRB Research Center for Magnetic Resonance Bavaria (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Hahn, Tim
- ORCID
- Venue
- NeuroImage
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2009-07
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 1148-1153
- ISSN
- 1053-8119 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1973808229
- Cited by
- 136
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 5.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- NeuroImage (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
- Keywords
- reward anticipation, Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory, Behavioural Approach System, ventral striatum, orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala, monetary incentive delay task, individual differences, personality traits, reward processing
- MeSH terms
- Brain, Brain Mapping, Emotions, Female, Humans, Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted, Impulsive Behavior, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Reward, Sex Factors
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