Impulsivity and Quality of Life in a Population with Problematic Alcohol Consumption

2025-11-27T11:10:41-06:00

Introduction: problematic alcohol consumption represents a major public health challenge due to its detrimental effects on individuals’ physical, psychological, and social functioning. Within this context, impulsivity—conceptualized as a multidimensional psychological trait—has been associated with deficits in behavioral and emotional self-regulation, as well as with lower perceived overall well-being.

Objective: to analyze the relationship between impulsivity dimensions and quality of life domains in individuals with problematic alcohol consumption attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) groups in Ecuador.

Method: a non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational study with a quantitative approach was conducted. The sample consisted of 124 adults selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life – BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) were administered. Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed using Spearman’s rho coefficient.

Results: statistically significant negative associations were identified between attentional, motor, and non-planning impulsivity and the physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains of quality of life. No statistically significant differences in impulsivity dimensions were observed according to sex.

Discussion and conclusions: the findings demonstrate a consistent relationship between higher levels of impulsivity and lower perceived quality of life among individuals with problematic alcohol consumption who participate in community-based recovery processes. These results highlight the importance of considering impulsivity as a relevant psychological trait in the clinical and psychosocial assessment and intervention of addictive behaviors.

The Endocannabinoid System Function in Memory, Reinforcement, Self-Control, and Substance Use: A Narrative Review

2025-07-30T10:06:44-05:00

Introduction: the functions of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) extend from the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system to the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, skeletal, and reproductive systems; therefore, it is involved in many physiological processes including those related to cognition.

Objective: this review aims to explain the role of the ECS in brain regions that control memory, learning, reinforcement and self-control, to understand the impact that its dysfunction could have on these processes and in the abuse of substances.

Method: searches focused on ECS and its involvement in memory, reinforcement, self-control, and substance use were conducted in PubMed, covering a period from 1990 to 2024.

Results: the ECS regulates hippocampal function, influencing declarative, spatial, and contextual memory. By modulating the basal ganglia, it regulates non-declarative memory, and through its action on the amygdala and memory related to adverse events. In the prefrontal cortex, it is involved in processes such as working memory, self-control, and decision-making. Its presence in the ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, and medial prefrontal cortex contributes to the modulation of motivation and reward, thus participating in substance-induced gratification.

Discussion and conclusions: dysfunction of the ECS may manifest through symptoms that, within clinical practice, often remain undetected due to the limited consideration of its functions in psychiatric assessment. This observation highlights the importance of expanding the conceptual framework regarding the role of the ECS in the regulation of cognitive and emotional processes. Such an expansion is essential for advancing diagnostic accuracy and for fostering a more comprehensive understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders.

Revista Internacional de Investigación en Adicciones

Impulsivity and Quality of Life in a Population with Problematic Alcohol Consumption

The Endocannabinoid System Function in Memory, Reinforcement, Self-Control, and Substance Use: A Narrative Review