Behavioral and neural correlates of delay of gratification 40 years later

摘要: We examined the neural basis of self-regulation in individuals from a cohort preschoolers who performed delay-of-gratification task 4 decades ago. Nearly 60 individuals, now their mid-forties, were tested on “hot” and “cool” versions go/nogo to assess whether delay gratification childhood predicts impulse control abilities sensitivity alluring cues (happy faces). Individuals less able preschool consistently showed low self-control twenties thirties more poorly than did high delayers when having suppress response happy face but not neutral or fearful face. This finding suggests that environmental hot plays significant role individuals’ ability actions toward such stimuli. A subset these participants (n = 26) underwent functional imaging for first time test biased recruitment frontostriatal circuitry required responses cues. Whereas prefrontal cortex differentiated between nogo go trials greater extent delayers, ventral striatum exaggerated delayers. Thus, resistance temptation as measured originally by is relatively stable individual difference reliable biases circuitries integrate motivational processes.