Brain imaging-wide exploration of site-specific pain: genetic correlation and Mendelian randomization study.

Impulsivity, sensitivity to reward, and sensitivity to punishment are core personality dimensions that profoundly shape human decision-making and mental health (Bijttebier, Beck, Claes, & Vandereycken, ; Moeller et al., ). Impulsivity is characterized by a lack of careful consideration leading to rapid, unplanned reactions (Patton, Stanford, & Barratt, ), whereas sensitivity to reward/punishment refers to individual differences in responsiveness to appetitive and aversive stimuli, respectively (Torrubia, Avila, Moltó, & Caseras, ). Crucially, high impulsivity and dysregulated sensitivity to environmental cues are transdiagnostic risk factors associated with addiction, antisocial behavior, and mood disorders (Carver & White, ; Maxwell, Gardiner, & Loxton, ; Moeller et al., ). Theoretically grounded in Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) (Gray, ; McNaughton & Corr, ), impulsivity and SR reflect heightened reward-driven Behavioral Activation (BAS), predisposing individuals to risky behaviors. Conversely, high SP reflects Behavioral Inhibition (BIS) activation, typically driving risk aversion and anxiety (Quilty & Oakman, ). In contrast, self-control functions as a critical regulatory resource, enabling individuals to override impulsive urges and immediate gratification to achieve long-term goals (Tangney, Baumeister, & Boone, ). Beyond these clinical vulnerabilities, the interplay of these traits critically influences everyday decision-making and resilience in normative populations, particularly as individuals navigate the complex developmental demands and transitions of early adulthood. In this context, self-control acts as a ‘brake’ to the ‘accelerator’ of sensitivity to reward and impulsivity (Duckworth & Steinberg, ). Individuals with high self-control are better equipped to regulate their emotions and behaviors, effectively dampening the pursuit of immediate rewards in favor of rational decision-making (Duckworth & Steinberg, ; Mischel, Shoda, & Rodriguez, ). However, traditional variable-centered research isolates these dimensions, overlooking how their intra-individual co-occurrence shapes psychological adaptation. For instance, high reward sensitivity may be adaptive when paired with high self-control but maladaptive with high impulsivity. Consequently, a person-centered approach, such as latent profile analysis (LPA), is essential. By delineating holistic behavioral profiles, LPA captures the complex interplay between regulatory and reactive traits, offering a nuanced understanding of individual differences in adaptability (Bergman & Magnusson, ; Howard & Hoffman, ). Importantly, insights emerging from mapping intrinsic brain connectivity networks provide a potentially mechanistic framework for a deeper understanding of various aspects of human behavior, particularly psychological adaptability and self-regulation (Cheng et al., ). Neurologically, this regulation-reactivity interplay relies on cortico-striatal circuits, balancing bottom-up subcortical reward drives (e.g. the striatum) against top-down cortical control (e.g. the medial prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices) (Casey, Getz, & Galvan, ; Hofmann, Friese, & Strack, ). Critically, functional connectivity between these regions underpins the cognitive control of impulsive drives (Kelley, Baldo, Pratt, & Will, ). However, significant gaps remain in understanding how these neural mechanisms map onto complex behavioral profiles and their prospective longitudinal transitions across early adulthood. First, while variable-centered studies have linked cortico-striatal connectivity to isolated traits like impulsivity (Hu et al., ; Liston et al., ; Wang, Lv, He, & Xue, ), it remains unclear whether distinct neural signatures can differentiate holistic behavioral profiles. Second, and perhaps more importantly, the predictive validity of these circuits remains under-explored (Gabrieli, Ghosh, & Whitfield-Gabrieli, ). Most existing research has relied on cross-sectional designs, leaving it unknown whether the baseline functional integrity of cortico-striatal pathways can prospectively predict future gains in adaptive functioning beyond the stability of behavioral traits themselves.