Iowa Gambling Task Research Articles

Value-based decision-making deficits in non-suicidal self-injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Value-based decision-making deficits in non-suicidal self-injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Beneficial and adverse effects of THC on cognition in the HIV-1 transgenic rat model: Importance of exploring task- and sex-dependent outcomes.

Beneficial and adverse effects of THC on cognition in the HIV-1 transgenic rat model: Importance of exploring task- and sex-dependent outcomes.

The Therapeutic Community Integrated With a DBT Skills Training Program for Substance Use Disorders: The Initial Efficacy for the Treatment of Impulsivity and Related Dimensions.

This study aims at investigating the initial efficacy of a 6-month therapeutic community (TC) intervention integrated with a standard Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training (DBT-ST) program (DBT-ST-TC) for treating impulsivity among patients with SUDs. Impulsivity was assessed through self-report (UPPS-P) and neuropsychological (Attentional Network Test [ANT]-conflict monitoring, Go/No-Go, Iowa Gambling Task) measures. Furthermore, mindfulness (FFMQ, MAAS) emotion dysregulation (DERS) and distress tolerance (DTS) were evaluated. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed to evaluate pre- post-treatment changes controlling for baseline levels. Pre- and post-treatment results of the DBT-ST-TC group were also compared to baseline levels of variables of interest measured in two control groups (i.e., untreated outpatient with SUDs; healthy controls [HCs]). Sixty-eight patients with SUDs were screened and admitted to the DBT-ST-TC. Thirty-eight (55.9%) patients completed the first cycle of DBT-ST-TC. The clinical control group included 41 untreated individuals with SUDs. The HC group was composed of 53 participants. DBT-ST-TC patients reported pre- post-treatment improvements of emotion dysregulation (t (67) = -2.10; p = 0.04), positive urgency (t (67) = -3.27; p = 0.002) and sensation seeking (t (67) = -2.08; p = 0.04). The improvement of ANT-conflict monitoring performances was the most relevant pre- posttreatment change (t (67) = -2.98; p = 0.005): no significant differences between posttreatment performances of the DBT-ST-TC group and HCs were detected. The DBT-ST-TC might be a promising intervention for treating patients with SUDs. Future long-term outcomes are needed to corroborate and extend these provisional results.

Eye movements during the Iowa Gambling Task in Parkinson's disease: a brief report.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by motor and cognitive impairments. Subtle cognitive impairment may precede motor impairment. There is a substantial need for innovative assessments, such as those involving decision-making, to detect PD in the premotor phase. Evidence suggests executive dysfunction in PD can impede strategic decision-making relying on learning and applying feedback. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), when combined with eye-tracking, may be a valuable synergistic strategy for predicting impaired decision-making and therapeutic non-compliance. Participants with PD and matched healthy controls completed the Movement Disorders Society's modified Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-MDS), 6-min Walk Test (6MWT), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), Trail Making Test A and B (TMT A and B), Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). Eye tracking was recorded during the IGT. The PD group scored significantly higher on UPDRS subscales and travelled less distance during the 6MWT despite equivalent performance on the TUG. The PD group also had longer completion times on TMT A and B and more errors on TMT B. Overall IGT winning scores were marginally worse in PD. However, when analyzed as a function of performance over time, the PD group performed significantly worse by task end, thus suggesting impaired decision-making. PD participants exhibited a 72% reduction in blinks despite equivalent outcomes in other eye-movements. Combined with established motor and executive function tests, the inclusion of eye-tracking with the IGT may represent a powerful combination of noninvasive methods to detect and monitor PD early in progression.

The linkage between decision-making and bodily states: an investigation using an emotional startle reflex paradigm and the Iowa Gambling task

Theories such as the somatic marker hypothesis posit that emotions and feedback from bodily states support higher cognition and decision-making. This study investigated the connection between decision-making and activity of the startle reflex, a defense reflex that is sensitive to emotional states. Decision-making was assessed using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), which simulates real-life decision-making with respect to complexity and uncertainty. The startle reflex was quantified, via electromyography, as the eyeblink following intense noise stimulation during the viewing of pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant emotional pictures. Forty-two healthy participants were classified according to their performance on the IGT using the median-split method. Overall, the startle amplitude was lower during pleasant and higher during unpleasant pictures than during neutral pictures. Participants with high IGT performance exhibited smaller response amplitudes than those with low IGT performance, independent of picture valence. Furthermore, inverse linear associations were seen between IGT performance and response amplitudes. The association between decision-making and startle reflex activity may be mediated by individual differences in emotional state. According to previous studies, a positive emotional state, as opposed to a negative emotional state, relates to smaller startle amplitudes and a preference for decision-making strategies based on intuition and body-related information (i.e., somatic markers), which are beneficial in situations involving complex and uncertain decisions. Moreover, an impact of individual differences in prefrontal cortex function on decision-making and startle reflex activity is feasible. The startle paradigm may be a useful tool to investigate interactions between bodily states and higher-order cognitive processing in future research.

The executive function, behavioral systems, and heart rate variability in college students at risk of Mobile gaming addiction.

The executive function, behavioral systems, and heart rate variability in college students at risk of Mobile gaming addiction.

Impaired decision-making in child sexual offenders: Findings and prospects.

Impaired decision-making in child sexual offenders: Findings and prospects.

Stress Management in Athletes: Predictive Effects of Sleep Deprivation-Induced Cognitive Control Changes on Competition Performance.

Effective stress management is crucial for optimal competition performance in athletes. Sleep deprivation (SD) can elevate physiological and psychological stress, and the SD-changed cognitive and emotion may reflect stress management capability and hold the predictive possibility for athletes' performance in official competitions over some time; however, it lacks evidence. Here, we aim to increase stress level for athletes by 24 h SD and identify the predictive effects of cognitive and emotional changes after 24 h SD on sports performance in official competitions over ∼1.5 months. Sixty-five winter sports athletes (35 males) were recruited from college (test set) and professional athletes (validation set) separately. The anxiety and cortisol levels were assessed at baseline, after 24 h SD, and official competition. Athletes underwent cognitive tasks (Stroop, Go/No-Go, Competitive Reaction Time Task, and Iowa Gambling Task) and the event-related potential recording at baseline and after SD. Competition performance levels (supernormal, normal, and abnormal) were categorized based on a consensus of subjective and objective evaluations. We found anxiety and cortisol levels following 24 h SD were equaled with those observed in official competition. Notably, only the decreased incongruent Stroop response after 24 h SD was negatively associated with performance in official competition. The corresponding P3 component, particularly the delta frequency at the central lobe, largely mediated this effect. These findings highlight that athletes who effectively employ cognitive skills to manage stress under acute SD tend to exhibit superior performance.

Pharmacological analysis of the role of kisspeptin-10 in reinforcing mechanisms

Introduction: Behavioral and substance addictions are driven by shared neurobiological mechanisms, often involving the reward system. Kisspeptin-10, a neuropeptide primarily linked to reproductive functions, has emerged as a potential modulator of reward-related behaviors and decision-making. This study explores the effects of kisspeptin-10 on impulsivity, compulsivity, and reinforcement mechanisms. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats were used to assess the effects of kisspeptin-10 on behavior. A conditioned place preference (CPP) test evaluated reinforcement effects at doses of 0.1 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg, and 1 mg/kg. A modified Iowa Gambling Task analyzed decision-making and impulsivity under variable reinforcement schedules. The marble-burying test was employed to assess compulsive behaviors. Statistical analysis included one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test. Results and Discussion: Kisspeptin-10 at 1 mg/kg induced a significant CPP response, suggesting reinforcing properties. In the gambling task, kisspeptin-10 enhanced impulsive choices by increasing preference for riskier reinforcement schedules, contrasting with the stabilizing effects of paroxetine. In the marble-burying test, kisspeptin-10 increased compulsive behavior compared to paroxetine, underscoring its modulatory role in compulsivity. These effects likely reflect kisspeptin-10’s interaction with dopaminergic and serotonergic systems, extending its influence beyond reproductive functions. Conclusion: Kisspeptin-10 dose 1 mg/kg significantly modulates impulsive and compulsive behaviors, as well as reinforcing mechanisms, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target for conditions characterized by dysregulated decision-making and compulsivity.

An introduction to Sequential Monte Carlo for Bayesian inference and model comparison—with examples for psychology and behavioral science

Bayesian inference is becoming an increasingly popular framework for statistics in the behavioral sciences. However, its application is hampered by its computational intractability – almost all Bayesian analyses require a form of approximation. While some of these approximate inference algorithms, such as Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC), have become well known throughout the literature, other approaches exist that are not as widespread. Here, we provide an introduction to another family of approximate inference techniques known as Sequential Monte Carlo (SMC). We show that SMC brings a number of benefits, which we illustrate in three different examples: linear regression and variable selection for depression, growth curve mixture modeling of grade point averages, and in computational modeling of the Iowa Gambling Task. These use cases demonstrate that SMC is efficient in exploring posterior distributions, reaching similar predictive performance as state-of-the-art MCMC approaches in less wall-clock time. Moreover, they show that SMC is effective in dealing with multi-modal distributions, and that SMC not only approximates the posterior distribution but simultaneously provides a useful estimate of the marginal likelihood, which is the essential quantity in Bayesian model comparison. All of this comes at no additional effort from the end user.

Executive function performance in high and low medication adherent patients with euthymic bipolar i disorder: a comparative study

IntroductionMedication nonadherence is a prevalent issue among patients with bipolar disorder, leading to substantial negative consequences. Despite documented cognitive deficits in this population, the relationship between executive dysfunction and medication nonadherence remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between executive functions and medication adherence in euthymic patients with bipolar I disorder.MethodIn this cross-sectional, comparative study, we recruited 200 euthymic bipolar I disorder patients aged 18 to 55 years from the outpatient clinic of Iran Psychiatric Hospital in Tehran in 2024, using a convenience sampling method. The euthymic phase was confirmed using the Persian versions of the Young Mania Rating Scale and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Patients completed the Medication Adherence Rating Scale, along with a series of executive function tests including Go/No-Go, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and Iowa Gambling Task. Multivariate analysis of covariance was employed to analyze the results, controlling for demographic and clinical variables as covariates.ResultsOf the participants, 54.5% had low medication adherence. Low adherent patients exhibited significantly poorer performance in Go/No-Go as indicated by higher commission errors (F [1] = 7.63, p = 0.006) as well as the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, evidenced by a higher number of perseveration errors (F [1] = 8.61, p = 0.004) and fewer completed categories (F [1] = 6.67, p = 0.011), compared to high adherent patients. Notably, although differences in decision-making were observed between the two groups, these did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.139).ConclusionsThis study establishes a correlation between low medication adherence and deficits in executive functions—specifically response inhibition and cognitive flexibility—in patients with bipolar I disorder. Furthermore, even after controlling for covariates, the differences in executive functions between medication adherence groups remained significant.

Unlocking new insights into the somatic marker hypothesis with multilevel logistic models.

The Somatic Marker Hypothesis, an influential neurobiological account of decision-making, states that emotional somatic markers (e.g., skin conductance responses) influence decision-making processes. Despite its prominence, the hypothesis remains controversial partly because of inconsistent results stemming from inappropriate statistical methods. Tasks designed to assess decision-making often use repeated measures designs, such as the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), which requires participants to maximize profits by selecting 100 cards among four decks offering varying win-loss contingencies. Researchers often aggregate repeated measures into a single averaged value to simplify analyses, potentially committing an ecological fallacy by erroneously generalizing results obtained from aggregated data (i.e., interindividual effects) to individual repeated measurements (i.e., intraindividual effects). This paper addresses this issue by demonstrating how to analyze concurrent repeated measures of both independent and dependent variables using multilevel logistic models. First, the principles of logistic multilevel models are explained. Then, simulated and empirical IGT data are analyzed to compare the performance of traditional statistical approaches (i.e., general linear models) with multilevel logistic models. Our proposed multilevel logistic analyses address critical methodological gaps in decision-making research, ensuring more accurate interpretations of repeated measures data. This approach not only advances the study of the Somatic Marker Hypothesis but also provides a robust framework for similar research protocols, ultimately enhancing the reliability and validity of findings.

Acute Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Risky Decision Making and Reward Processing in Young Adults.

Acute exercise is suggested to elicit benefits for cool executive function, but the sensitivity of its hot components, such as risky decision making, to exercise remains unclear. However, improvements in risky decision making are relevant due to its predictive value for engagement in unhealthy behaviors in young adults in particular. We investigated the acute effects of aerobic exercise on risky decision making, its underlying neurocognitive processes (i.e., reward processing) and response inhibition. 33 female and 27 male participants (aged 24.0 ± 2.9 years) were randomly allocated to an intervention group, who performed 20 min of moderately-intense running on a treadmill, and a control group, who watched a video. Before and after these sessions, a Go/NoGo task and an Iowa Gambling task were administered. The feedback-related negativity (FRN) and P300 elicited by wins and losses during gambling were recorded with electroencephalography. We found no group differences in pre- to posttest changes in performance on the Go/NoGo task and Iowa Gambling task. However, there was a greater increase in the bias for infrequent losses in the intervention compared to the control group, accompanied by a change towards higher P300 amplitude and lower negativity of the FRN. In conclusion, an exercise session did not affect performance on cool and hot executive function tasks but altered the strategic approach in decision making. Exercise led to a better anticipation of outcomes of decisions and a higher maintenance of the feedback significance, which both contributed to a change towards choices that yield less frequent, larger losses.

Impaired decision-making ability in functional heartburn patients.

Rats with visceral hypersensitivity often exhibit impaired decision-making abilities. Functional heartburn (FH) is a functional esophageal disease that belongs to the category of gut-brain interaction disorders, associated with visceral hypersensitivity. However, the decision-making ability of patients with FH remains unclear. We recruited 30 patients diagnosed with FH based on the Rome IV criteria and 30 healthy controls (HCs). All patients were evaluated using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale-17. Patients with FH also completed the gastroesophageal reflux disease and modified gastrointestinal symptom score questionnaires. We employed the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and Game of Dice Task (GDT) to evaluate decision making. In the IGT, patients with FH exhibited a lower total net score and made more unfavorable choices compared to healthy controls (HCs). Specifically, statistically significant differences were observed in the net scores of the last three blocks, the differences were of large effect sizes. In the GDT, patients with FH demonstrated a lower total net score, higher risk score, and lower utilization of negative feedback than the HCs, the differences were of middle-large effect sizes. Even after controlling for the effects of anxiety, depression, and the coexistence of functional dyspepsia, patients with FH exhibited lower net scores than HCs, in both the IGT and GDTs. Our findings suggest that patients with FH showed worse decision-making abilities than HCs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Impact of driving style on rear-end crash risk in leading vehicle emergency braking situations

The driving style and skill of drivers have a significant impact on traffic safety, and the crash urgency level of the situation can affect drivers’ behavior. To investigate the differences in evasion behavior among drivers with different driving styles in rear-end crash urgency scenarios, this study classified drivers into aggressive and conservative types based on risk tendencies obtained from the Iowa Gambling Task. Using simulated driving equipment, rear-end crash risk scenarios were classified based on time to collision (TTC) thresholds and drivers’ reaction behavior characteristics in emergency braking situations were collected. Comparative analysis of evasion behavior characteristics among drivers with different styles was conducted, and the influence trends of various factors on the risk of vehicle crash events were explored using binary logistic regression. The results showed that with increasing crash urgency, drivers’ braking reaction time (BRT) decreased, while vehicle speed and jerk increased. Novice drivers exhibited longer BRT, larger vehicle spacing, higher maximum braking deceleration, jerk, and TTC−1 compared to experienced drivers. Aggressive drivers had significantly longer BRT than conservative drivers, while maximum braking deceleration and jerk were significantly lower. Vehicle spacing, maximum braking deceleration, and jerk were negatively correlated with crash risk. This study provides important references for the analysis of evasion behavior among different driving styles in crash urgency scenarios and the design of active safety intervention methods.

Neuropsychological Instruments and Tasks for Dependence Behaviors in Medication-Overuse Headache.

This review aims to discuss about the potential roles of neuropsychological instruments and tasks in the evaluation of dependence behaviors shared by medication-overuse headache (MOH) and substance use disorders (SUDs). Recent studies utilizing criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) for SUDs have revealed that MOH patients often exhibit impaired control over medication use, along with tolerance and withdrawal symptoms. In addition, dependence questionnaires such as the Leeds Dependence Questionnaire and the Severity of Dependence Scale have shown a strong correlation between MOH and higher dependence scores, with predictive value for treatment outcomes. Furthermore, investigations into decision-making processes with the Iowa Gambling Task have suggested potential parallels between MOH and SUDs. MOH patients exhibit biased decision-making, particularly in conditions of ambiguity, possibly predisposing them to favor immediate pain relief over long-term consequences. This suggests a potential mechanism involving emotional feedback processing in MOH. This review underscores the importance of recognizing dependence-like behaviors in MOH patients and highlights the potential utility of neuropsychological instruments and tasks in advancing the understanding of MOH pathophysiology. The findings suggest that MOH shares characteristics with substance dependence, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions in MOH management. Understanding the neurobehavioral aspects of MOH may lead to more effective therapeutic strategies aimed at mitigating dependence and improving long-term outcomes.

Decision-making of educational leaders: new insights from the Iowa gambling task

PurposeMiddle leadership in education is often considered one of the most challenging roles within educational leadership, and it is often under-conceptualised and theorised. A key role of a middle leader is making decisions. This paper presents some initial findings from a study of 22 middle leaders in England, exploring their decision-making ability.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses the Iowa gambling task (IGT), a commonly used psychological tool designed to assess decision-making through risk-based activities. All participants were asked to complete the IGT online. They were asked to select one of four cards from a virtual deck. The decks yielded either a positive gain (a financial win) or a net (financial) loss. Participants repeated the selection of a card 100 times.FindingsParticipants quickly learned which decks provided a positive net gain. However, what was apparent was that between cards 40 and 60, there was a significant spike in their ability to gain net wins in the cards selected. This suggests that middle leaders are more risk-seeking when they are trying to minimise losses, as in blocks 1 to 3 in the experiment. However, once they have reached a self-determined threshold, they become risk-averse to maintaining the potential gains they have made.Research limitations/implicationsUnderstanding how leaders make decisions is particularly important if staff are to be encouraged to take responsibility and make decisions within their roles as middle leaders. However, this study has limitations, notably that only 22 participants participated.Originality/valueThis paper offers a contemporary review underpinned by a preliminary study of middle leaders' decision-making ability against a backdrop of the limited literature on this topic.

Differential susceptibility effects of the 5-HTTLPR and MAOA genotypes on decision making under risk in the Iowa gambling task.

The interplay between genetic and environmental factors, as explored through studies of gene-environment interactions (cG×E), has illuminated the complex dynamics influencing behavior and cognition, including decision-making processes. In this study, we investigated the differential susceptibility effects of the 5-HTTLPR and MAOA genotypes on decision-making under risk using the Iowa Gambling Task. Data from 264 participants (138 women, 126 men) aged 18-22 years, from the 2015 wave of the Survey of Adolescent Life in Västmanland (SALVe Cohort) was analyzed. Participants provided genetic data including the MAOA and 5-HTTLPR genotypes, and completed the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) to evaluate decision-making behavior. Parent reports, including assessments of positive parenting styles and early life stress were used for cG×E analysis. In a General Linear Model, significant interactions were found among males for the 5-HTTLPR, with SS/SL carriers showing higher net scores with positive parenting and lower scores with less positive parenting in relation to decision-making under risk in the IGT (trials 61-100), indicating differential susceptibility effects. Male LL carriers showed minimal fluctuation in IGT scores. Similar effects were observed for males with the MAOA S-allele. No significant interactions were found for females. In conclusion, our study indicates that the 5-HTTLPR and MAOA genes demonstrate susceptibility to environmental factors in influencing decision-making under risk among males, as assessed by the Iowa Gambling Task. We anticipate that these findings will contribute to advancing the understanding of the complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors in shaping human behavior and decision-making.

The role of risk tolerance in navigation strategy decisions.

Everyday situations require us to face a trade-off to inform our decisions: exploit known information or explore for new information. Although both have risks, empirical research has not shown whether individuals prefer exploring or exploiting across contexts. In the present study, we examined the explore-exploit trade-off as a theoretical framework across two broad domains: decision making and spatial navigation. In this registered report, we applied computational modeling to human behavior on a novel version of the Iowa gambling task to predict behavior on a spatial navigation task in which the navigator must either exploit a learned, familiar route or explore a new shortcut. If the hypothesis that risk tolerance is a domain-general trait is correct, we predicted that explore-exploit patterns would correlate across these tasks. We also examine the predictive power of computational models for the Iowa gambling task on behavioral uncertainty and the role of confidence in spatial navigation strategy. Our findings suggest that, while there is some overlap in risk tolerance between spatial navigation and gambling, the influence of exploration and exploitation on navigational decision making is weaker than initially predicted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Does HCV treatment completion affect the neurocognitive outcomes in patients on opioid agonist maintenance treatment: A secondary analysis

Aim: This secondary analysis investigated whether completing Direct-Acting Antiviral (DAA) treatment affects neurocognitive outcomes in patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) undergoing opioid agonist maintenance treatment (OAMT). Methods: Data from 45 participants (22 DAA treatment completers and 23 non-completers) were analyzed. Neurocognitive function was assessed at baseline and six months using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Trail Making Tests (TMT A and B), Visual and Verbal N-Back tests, and Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Results: General Linear Model (GLM) analysis revealed significant improvements in cognitive function over time in both groups, with notable gains in WCST total correct responses (P < .001) and Visual Working Memory 2 Back hits and errors (P < .001). A significant Group × Time was found for TMT-B completion time, with non-completers showing greater improvement (P = .039). Conclusion: These findings highlight that even incomplete DAA treatment, alongside OAMT, yields significant cognitive benefits, underscoring the importance of integrated care.