Scientists at the University of California, San Diego have identified eleven DNA regions associated with so-called “delay discounting” — the tendency to choose smaller, immediate rewards over larger rewards that require waiting.

This psychological mechanism has long been linked to impulsivity, addiction, and difficulties with self-control, and the new study shows how deeply it is rooted in human biology.

The research, published in Molecular Psychiatry, is based on the analysis of genomes from nearly 135,000 participants.

The scientists identified 93 candidate genes involved in dopamine signaling, neuronal development, brain structure formation, and metabolic processes — systems that are simultaneously connected to mental disorders, chronic pain, and various physiological diseases.

As a result, the genetic profile of delay discounting was found to overlap with risks for obesity, diabetes, sleep disorders, depression, substance use, and dozens of other conditions. Altogether, the researchers found genetic associations with seventy-three different traits affecting both mental and physical health.

To understand how this works in practice, the team created polygenic risk scores and tested them on a clinical database of more than sixty-six thousand patients. These genetic indicators were shown to be linked to more than two hundred medical outcomes — from cardiovascular diseases and chronic pain to mood disorders and tobacco dependence.

The authors emphasize that understanding the genetic basis of impulsive decision-making opens the door to new approaches in medicine. Delay discounting may become a clinically useful marker that will help tailor behavioral and pharmacological interventions more precisely, especially for people whose impulsivity affects their health and lifestyle.