Discounting of delayed rewards and executive dysfunction in individuals infected with hepatitis C

Author： Huckans Marilyn Seelye Adriana Woodhouse Jonathan Parcel Tiffany Mull Lisa Schwartz Daniel Mitchell Alex Lahna David Johnson Amy Loftis Jennifer Woods Steven Paul Mitchell Suzanne Hoffman William

Publisher： Routledge Ltd

ISSN： 1380-3395

Source： Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology (Neuropsychology, Developm, Vol.33, Iss.2, 2011-02, pp. : 176-186

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Abstract

Objective: Determine whether adults with hepatitis C (HCV), regardless of substance use disorder, are more likely to discount delayed rewards than adults without hepatitis C, and explore the relationship between delay discounting and neuropsychological functioning. Methods: Procedures included clinical interviews, neuropsychological testing, and a delay discounting task. Results: Regardless of substance abuse history, adults with hepatitis C were significantly more likely to choose smaller immediate rewards over larger delayed rewards. Delay discounting correlated with performance on executive functioning tasks. Conclusions: Increased discounting is associated with broad executive dysfunction, suggesting that HCV-associated executive dysfunction may lead to altered decision-making style.