Impulsivity is a complex multidimensional construct that has been frequently implicated in the pathogenesis of addictive disorders (Dom et al., 2007). The findings of the present study, which involved both trait impulsivity (using BIS) and behavioral impulsivity (derived from task performance) measures, showed that alcoholics had higher levels of impulsivity in non-planning and total scores of BIS, while there was also a tendency towards higher risk-taking features (i.e. selecting ‘50’ more often and ‘10’ less often than controls following losing trends) among alcoholics. These findings on impulsivity in alcoholics tends to offer validity to the neurocognitive models of addiction disorders that implicate impulsivity as a major component. For example, Chambers et al. (2003) proposed that the primary motivation circuitry involving cortical–striatal–thalamic-cortical loops were putatively involved in impulsivity, decision-making and the disorders of alcohol/drug addiction and pathological gambling. Goldstein and Volkow (2002) conceptualized alcohol/drug addiction as a syndrome of impaired response inhibition and salience attribution, and summarized the involvement of the frontosubcortical circuits in addiction disorders.. Earlier studies done in our lab have consistently found that disinhibition and impulsivity were the
