Page 243 - Like me, or else... - Michelle Achterberg

Fronto-striatal connectivity predicts patience
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Conclusion
In conclusion, the current study provides crucial links for our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying delay of gratification skills. The ability to delay gratification improves between childhood and early adulthood and this is predicted by the integrity of fronto-striatal white matter connections. This study adds to a descriptive relation between white matter integrity and delay of gratification skills by showing that maturation of fronto-striatal connectivity predicts improvements in delay of gratification skills over a two-year period. These findings have implications for studies examining deviances in impulse control in adolescence, such as in cases of substance abuse or crime, by showing that the developmental path between striatum and PFC may be an important predictor for when development goes astray.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by a VENI grant from the Dutch Science Foundation (NWO) awarded to J.S.P (VENI 451-10-007) and a European Research Council (ERC) starting grant awarded to E.A.C. (ERC-2010-StG-263234).
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