Priorities for future research include the identification of other factors that influence state fluctuations in disinhibition, and characterization of individual differences that may moderate these effects, e.g., personality constructs such as “ego-control” and “ego-resiliency” (118, 119). Another important line of research is the development of new psychological interventions for substance use that can improve inhibitory control and mitigate the influence of environmental and motivational factors on state disinhibition. Whilst the recent studies have established proof-of-concept, it is unknown whether repeated inhibitory control training could promote long-lasting changes in drinking or other substance use. A recent review of the available literature suggests that inhibitory control may be “subject to fast plastic changes” (120). Therefore, it is possible that multiple sessions of inhibition training may increase an individual’s capacity for inhibitory control, allowing for more behavioral flexibility when faced with the situational, psychological, and environmental factors discussed in this review. Therefore, inhibition training may provide a non-invasive adjunct to existing treatments [c.f. the effects of repeated working memory training (101) and approach bias training (92)].
