Using preclinical models to understand the neural basis of negative urgency

Negative urgency is a facet of impulsivity that is known to be associated with problematic substance use, as well as a host of other health-related negative outcomes. The urgency, premediation (lack of), perseverance (lack of), sensation seeking (UPPS) scale is used to measure negative urgency in humans. Recent evidence indicates that high and low negative urgency subjects respond differently on a reward omission task using monetary incentives. Following omission of an expected reward, high-urgency subjects are more frustrated and display greater impulsive responding compared to low-urgency subjects. This task has also been used in rats to investigate the neurobiology of negative urgency. Converging evidence now indicates that a neural system involving interconnections between the prefrontal cortex and amygdala may play a key role in individual differences in negative urgency. This work may inform prevention scientists and practitioners implementing drug abuse prevention and treatment interventions.