the prediction include left pre-SMA, right dACC, right LOFC, right putamen, and right NACC. This finding was validated in an independent data set. Moreover, this study represents the first endeavor to employ spectral DCM to identify impaired causal interactions among brain regions associated with executive control, decision-making, and reward/loss processing based on resting-state fMRI data obtained from healthy and AUD subjects. Our findings reveal significant differences in intrinsic self-connections and extrinsic connections between AUD and HCs. In addition, the strength of EC from the right NACC to left pre-SMA and from the right dACC to right putamen mediated the relationship between addiction severity (MAST scores) and behavioral measures (impulsive and compulsive scores). These results implicated that impulsiveness may be a critical personality trait individuals have that makes them vulnerable to alcohol use and develop AUD.
