Relation of individual differences in impulsivity to nonclinical emotional decision making

Abstract

Impulsivity has been identified as a behavioral precursor to addiction, and may be the manifestation of a neurological vulnerability. The present study investigated whether individual differences in impulsivity were associated with performance on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT, a test of emotional decision making thought to be associated in part with ventromedial prefrontal cortex function) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST, a set-shifting thought to be associated in part with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex function). Subjects were screened for impulsivity using the BIS-11 (self-report) and a delay discounting questionnaire (a behavioral measure of impulsivity). High impulsivity was associated with poorer performance on the final block of trials of the IGT but was not significantly related to WCST performance. Both measures were significantly correlated with scores on the BIS. These results provide support for hypothesis that, in a nonclinical sample, impulsivity may vary systematically with performance on neuropsychological indicators of prefrontal function. (JINS, 2008, 14, 878-882.)

Dopamine, depressive symptoms, and decision-making: the relationship between spontaneous eye blink rate and depressive symptoms predicts Iowa Gambling Task performance

“…However, the main effect of CES-D depression scores and EBR from the second step were not significant in the last step of the regression, p >.10. Because some research has shown that individual difference effects only emerge in the last block of IGT trials after learning is complete (Sweitzer, Allen, & Kaut, 2008), we also conducted regression analyses within each of the five 20-trial blocks. Results revealed that this interaction between depressive symptoms and EBR on IGT performance was significant in blocks 2 (β=.77, p =.003) and 3 (β=.55, p =.04).…”

Lower Monoamine Oxidase-A Total Distribution Volume in Impulsive and Violent Male Offenders with Antisocial Personality Disorder and High Psychopathic Traits: An [11C] Harmine Positron Emission Tomography Study

“…Highly impulsive groups show the greatest impairment in performance during the latter trials of the IGT (Sweitzer et al, 2008). Accordingly, the net IGT was calculated by subtracting the number of cards selected from disadvantageous decks from the number of cards selected from advantageous decks over the last two blocks: [(C+D) -(A+B)].…”

Impulsivity and Parkinson's disease: More than just disinhibition

“…Altered decision making is frequently associated with cognitive impulsivity [1,4,5]. It is the product of an imbalance between two separate, but interacting, neural systems: (1) an impulsive, amygdala-dependent system, which controls immediate and "somatic" behaviour related to a decision and (2) a reflective, prefrontal-dependent system [6], which evaluates the future prospects related to the decision [4].…”