Objective: Decision-making processes have become a principal target of study among addiction researchers. However, studies often hampered by two significant methodological challenges: Multi-substance dependence and comorbid conditions, which are independently associated with neurocognitive impairments. The purpose of this study was to compare alcohol dependent subjects without any comorbidity, with controls on a measure of decision-making and executive functions and to examine the interrelationship among these measures.
Methods: We compared 30 alcohol-dependent (AD) male patients with 30 matched male healthy controls regarding their performances on the Iowa Gambling Task, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Test, Auditory Consonant Trigram Test and the Category Naming Test.
Results: The AD group was not significantly more impaired compared to controls on any test. Only working memory scores were associated with decision-making scores in the total group.
Conclusion: The results suggest that our sample of pure AD do not have global deficits in decision-making as measured by the IGT and that their poor decisions regarding their alcohol consumption are limited to drinking.
Key words: Decision making, alcohol dependence, executive functions, Iowa Gambling Task
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