The biological mechanisms that link impulsive behaviors to alcohol use are poorly understood. There is some evidence that individuals who are genetically at risk for alcoholism also perform more impulsively on at least one measure of impulsive behavior, delay discounting. Petry, Kirby & Kranzler (2002) found a modest relationship between family history of alcoholism and delay discounting. Women, but not men, with a parental history of alcohol dependence had higher discount rates than women without a parental history, indicating that they preferred more immediate, over more delayed, rewards. Other studies have examined brain morphology in relation to measures of impulsivity and alcohol consumption. Hill et al. (2009) examined the volume of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) of a sample of 107 young adults (mean age 17.6) from either high-risk AUD families or control families. The OFC, which is thought to be involved in emotional regulation and impulsivity, showed decreased right/left volumes in high-risk offspring in comparison with control subjects. Findings also demonstrated relationships between OFC volumes and genetic and self-report information. Specifically, lower right volume was significantly associated with variation in
