The role of the dorsal striatum in choice impulsivity

Abstract

It has long been recognized that the dorsal striatum is an essential brain region for control of action selection based on action-outcome contingency learning, particularly when the available actions are bound to rewarding outcomes. In principle, intertemporal choice in the delay-discounting task-a validated measure of choice impulsivity-involves reward-associated actions that require the recruitment of the dorsal striatum. Here, we conjecture about ways the dorsal striatum is involved in choice impulsivity. Based on a selective body of studies, we begin with a brief history of research on choice impulsivity and the dorsal striatum, and then provide a comprehensive summary of contemporary studies utilizing human neuroimaging and animal models to search for links between choice impulsivity and the dorsal striatum. In particular, we discuss in-depth the converging evidence for the associations of choice impulsivity with the reward valuation coded by the caudate, a ventral-to-dorsal gradient in the dorsal striatum, the origins of striatal afferents, and developmental maturation of frontostriatal connectivity during adolescence.