This study investigated the ability to use feedback for decision-making in female college students who binge drink (BD) using the iowa gambling task (IGT) and event-related potentials (ERPs). Twenty-seven binge drinkers and 23 non-binge drinkers (non-BD) were identified based on scores on the Korean version of the Alcohol Use Disorder Test and the Alcohol Use Questionnaire. The IGT consists of four cards, including two cards that result in a net loss, with large immediate gains but greater losses in the long term, and two cards that result in a net gain, with small immediate gains but reduced losses in the long term. Participants were required to choose one card at a time to maximize profit until the end of the task while avoiding losses. The BD group showed a significantly lower total net score than the non-BD group, indicating that the BD group chose more disadvantageous cards. The BD group showed significantly smaller ΔFRN amplitudes [difference in amplitudes of feedback-related negativity (FRN) between gain and loss feedback] but not in P3 amplitudes. Additionally, ΔFRN amplitudes in the fronto-central area were positively correlated with the total net score and net scores for sectors 4 and 5. Thus, total net scores and later performance on the IGT increased as ΔFRN amplitudes from the fronto-central area increased. FRN is known to reflect early feedback evaluation employing a bottom-up mechanism, whereas P3 is known to reflect late feedback processing and allocation of attentional resources using a top-down mechanism. These results indicate that college students who binge drink have deficits in early evaluation of positive or negative feedback and that this deficit may be related to decision-making deficits.

This study investigated deficits in decision-making ability in female college students at high risk for anorexia nervosa (AN) using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and the prospect valence learning (PVL) model. Based on scores on the Korean version of the Eating Attitude Test-26 (KEAT-26), participants were assigned to either the high risk for AN group (n = 42) or the control group (n = 43). The high risk for AN group exhibited significantly lower total net scores and block net scores on the third, fourth, and fifth blocks of the IGT than the control group did. The high risk for AN group selected cards significantly more often from the disadvantageous A and B decks and less often from the advantageous D deck than the control group did. In addition, the block net scores of the high risk for AN group did not differ across the five blocks, whereas those of the control group increased as the trials progressed. There was a significant negative correlation between IGT total net score and total score on the KEAT−26. The high risk for AN group had significantly lower values than the control group on the learning and response consistency parameters of the PVL model. These results indicate that female college students at high risk for AN have deficits in decision-making ability, and that these deficits are related to difficulties in remembering experience obtained from earlier trials and applying it to later trials. These difficulties further lead them to make decisions randomly.

19This study investigated the ability to use feedback for decision making in female college 20 students who binge drink (BD) using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and event-related potentials 21 (ERPs). Twenty-seven binge drinkers and 23 non-binge drinkers (non-BD) were identified based on 22 scores on the Korean version of the Alcohol Use Disorder Test and the Alcohol Use Questionnaire. 23 The IGT consists of four cards, including two cards that result in a net loss, with large immediate 24 gains but greater losses in the long term, and two cards that result in a net gain, with small immediate 25 gains but reduced losses in the long term. Participants were required to choose one card at a time to 26 maximize profit until the end of the task while avoiding losses. The BD group showed a significantly 27 lower total net score than the non-BD group, indicating that the BD group chose more 28 disadvantageous cards. The BD group showed significantly smaller ΔFRN amplitudes (difference in 29 amplitudes of feedback-related negativity [FRN] between gain and loss feedback) except in P3. 30Additionally, ΔFRN amplitudes in the fronto-central area were positively correlated with the total net 31 score and net scores for sectors 4 and 5. Thus, total net scores and later performance on the IGT 32 increased as ΔFRN amplitudes from the fronto-central area increased. FRN is known to reflect early 33 feedback evaluation employing a bottom-up mechanism, whereas P3 is known to reflect late feedback 34 processing and allocation of attentional resources using a top-down mechanism. These results indicate 35 that college students who binge drink have deficits in early evaluation of positive or negative 36 feedback and that this deficit may be related to decision making deficits. 37 38 Event-related potentials, P3 40 3 41 5 90 feedback valence (gain or loss) [60] and is associated with activation of the midbrain dopaminergic 91 system [61]. Additionally, reinforcement-learning theory suggests that FRN reflects prediction errors, 92i.e., the difference between actual feedback and personal expectation [48,62,63] 93 P3, another ERP component related to feedback utilization, is a positive peak observed in 94 central-parietal areas at 275-700 ms post feedback [48,59]. P3 is known to be sensitive not only to 95 feedback valence but also to feedback magnitude and probability [60,[63][64][65][66]. It has been suggested 96 that P3 reflects activation of the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system and processing of task-97 relevant information to maximize decision making efficiency [67]. In other words, P3 reflects, unlike 98 FRN, a top-down mechanism that processes and evaluates feedback-related information in detail 99 [48,63]. 100Alcohol consumption affects feedback utilization. A study that used a gambling task and 101 measured ERPs found that the alcohol consumption group exhibited significantly lower FRN 102 amplitudes in response to both gain and loss feedback, especially to loss feedback, than did a placebo 103 group, indicating that alcohol...