Ivestigation of intertemporal decision-making function and its correlation with impulsive personality characteristics of geriatric depressive patients

Abstract

Objective To explore the intertemporal decision-making function in geriatric depressive patients and it’s correlation with impulsive personality traits. Methods Forty patients with geriatric depression(GD group) and Forty demographic characteristic matched health controls (HC group) were recruited.The delay discounting task was used to measure the decision-making function, and the barratt impulsiveness scale was used to measure the impulsive traits.The delay discounting rate (k) transformed to common logarithm lgk. Results Lgk and the scores of barratt impulsiveness scale, attention impulsiveness subscale, motor impulsiveness subscale in GD group((-2.00±0.81), (42.67±8.51), (46.50±16.84), (43.50±10.45)) were more larger than those in HC group ((-2.31±0.51), (32.27±6.18), (34.81±8.15), (26.88±7.65), and the differences were statistically significant (t=2.060, P=0.043; t=6.252, P<0.01; t=3.951, P<0.01; t=8.117, P<0.01). In addition, lgk had positive correlation with the scores of motor impulsiveness factor in GD group(r=0.408, P=0.009). Conclusion The delayed discounting ability is impaired and correlated with the motor impulsiveness in GD patients. Key words: Geriatric depression; Intertemporal decision-making; Delay discounting task; Impulsivity