Background
Chronic drug use is associated with increased impulsivity, risky decision making,
and impaired behavioral control, but the underlying mechanisms of this neurocognitive
profile remain unclear. We investigated impulsive responding in the context of decision
making, using a novel behavioral measure of reflection impulsivity: the tendency to
gather and evaluate information before making a decision.
Methods
The Information Sampling Task was administered to current substance users dependent
on amphetamines (n = 24) or opiates (n = 40), former users of amphetamines or opiates abstinent for at least 1 year (n = 24), and non–drug-using control subjects (n = 26).
Results
Current users of amphetamines and opiates sampled less information than control subjects
and responded at a lower probability of making a correct response. Amphetamine- and
opiate-dependent subjects did not differ. Reduced reflection was also apparent in
the former substance users, who did not differ from the current users. Questionnaire
ratings of impulsivity (on the Barratt Impulsivity Scale, version 11) were also inflated
in three groups of substance users but were not significantly correlated with performance
on the behavioral task.
Conclusions
Reduced reflection is suggested to represent a cognitive marker for substance dependence
that does not recover with prolonged abstinence and is associated with multiple drugs
of abuse.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 01, 2006
Accepted:
November 18,
2005
Received in revised form:
October 3,
2005
Received:
April 13,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
