To go or not to go: Personality, behaviour and neurophysiology of impulse control in men and women

Population-based studies show that men tend to be more aggressive, commit more violent crimes, and use drugs more often than women. Men are also more likely to suffer from disorders that are characterized by impulsive behaviour. However, surprisingly little is known about sex-related similarities or differences in non-clinical populations in impulse control. The aim of this study was to use multiple assessment methods (self-report questionnaires, behavioural task and electrophysiological recording) in order to better characterize inhibitory processes in a sample of healthy adult men and women (N = 126). While women rated themselves as more neurotic and impulsive, men exhibited this behaviour through more commission errors and more premature, impulsive responses. These impulsive behavioural tendencies were reflected in reduced P2 and enhanced N2 amplitudes in men compared to women. The absence of correlations between personality questionnaires, behavioural performance and ERPs suggest that these measures do not assess the same underling construct. It seems that differences between men and women in impulse control are the result of a combination of social factors and biological determinants that are often difficult to disentangle, but may influence different aspects of behaviour and possibly the susceptibility to develop various psychiatric or neurological disorders.