Cognitive Modeling Analysis of Performance on the Iowa Gambling Task in Undergraduates Reporting Substance Use
Year: 2005
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Substance abusers display decision-making and executive functioning impairments, as measured by the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), respectively.Reward-driven personality appears to be related to these constructs, and has also been shown to be higher in substance abusers.The current study examines decision making, executive functioning, and reward-driven personality characteristics of undergraduate substance users and controls.Decision-making performance (IGT) is separated into cognitive, motivational, and consistency processes.The present study finds that substance users perform significantly worse on IGT relative to controls, although no differences in the underlying cognitive or motivation processes exist.Substance users also perform significantly worse on WCST and display a more reward-driven personality.Thus, impaired decision-making and executive functioning and reward-driven personality are evident even in non-clinical substance users, suggesting these findings might be premorbid characteristics of substance users, not reflective of brain damage consequent to years of substance abuse.
Author: Dustin B. Hammers
Institution: Ohio University
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2602001495