Citation

DeVito EE, Weinberger AH, Pang RD, Petersen N, Fagle T, Allen AM. Curr. Behav. Neurosci. Rep. 2020; 7(3): 109-127.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s40473-020-00213-6

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The goal was to review recent (1/2015-2/2020) evidence of impulsivity as a feature of substance use disorders or use of substances (alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, opioids, stimulants) in males compared to females in terms of: a) impulsivity in substance-using groups (or substance-using compared to control groups), and b) relationship between impulsivity and substance use behavior, clinical severity, or treatment outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS: Of 361 papers identified by the searches, 69 met inclusion criteria, and 39 were highlighted for considering sex/gender in relation to impulsivity in substance-using populations. Taken together, findings supported higher impulsivity in males and females who use substances, relative to controls; and higher impulsivity was linked with more substance use/severity in both sex/genders. There were mixed findings regarding male versus female differences in impulsivity among individuals who use substances, or in the magnitude of the relationship between impulsivity and substance use severity. SUMMARY: The current body of evidence does not point to a consistent sex/gender difference in the role of impulsivity within and across substance use disorders. Impulsivity is a clinically-relevant construct for male and female individuals who use substances, across a range of substances.

Language: en

Keywords

alcohol; opioids; impulsivity; cannabis; nicotine; poly-drug use; Sex and gender and sex/gender; stimulants