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Table 1 Principal characteristics of the tasks measuring impulsive-related behaviours.

From: Relationship between impulsivity, hyperactivity and working memory: a differential analysis in the rat

Tasks

Cognitive impulsivity

Motor impulsivity

Requirements

Choice

FCN8

FI

EXT

Evaluation of negative consequences

+++

+++

0

0

Behavioral inhibition

0

+++

+++

+++

Waiting, tolerance to delay of gratification

+++

0

+++

+++

Timing to avoid inefficient responses

0

+++

+++

0

  1. Cognitive impulsiveness was assessed by two different tasks: a delay discounting task (choice), which assess mainly the ability to wait and the tolerance to delay of gratification and a fixed consecutive number schedule of reinforcement (FCN8), measuring the ability to terminate an action to reach a goal. This task requires both timing and inhibition of premature responding and does not require waiting contrarily to the previous one. Motor impulsivity was tested through two different schedules measured in a two-component 2-min fixed interval (FI) 5-min extinction (EXT) schedule of reinforcement. During these tasks, intolerance to a waiting period is also indirectly assessed through behavioural disinhibition. Only the FI component requires timing and measures anticipation of food reward delivery.