Analysis of 135,000 participants reveals 11 genetic regions tied to delayed gratification and shows shared biology with mental, cognitive and metabolic traits
November 28, 2025 – By Lizelda Lopez – Researchers from University of California San Diego have identified 11 genetic regions linked to delay discounting — the tendency to prefer smaller, immediate rewards over larger, delayed ones — shedding new light on how impulsive decision-making relates to both mental and physical health. The study, published on Nov. 25, 2025 in Molecular Psychiatry, analyzed genome-wide data from 134,935 23andMe participants and found that the same genetic factors that influence impulsive decision-making also overlap with risks for conditions like obesity, diabetes and other metabolic health issues.
“Impulsive decision-making is something we all experience, but its biological roots have been surprisingly difficult to pin down,” said Sandra Sanchez-Roige, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine and senior author of the study. “These findings show that delay discounting is not just a behavioral tendency, it is deeply intertwined with genetic pathways involved in brain development, cognition and physical health.”…