Discounting of delayed rewards and executive dysfunction in individuals infected with hepatitis C.
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.
Huckans
Marilyn
M
Northwest Hepatitis C Resource Center, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR 97239, USA. marilyn.huckans@va.gov
Seelye
Adriana
A
Woodhouse
Jonathan
J
Parcel
Tiffany
T
Mull
Lisa
L
Schwartz
Daniel
D
Mitchell
Alex
A
Lahna
David
D
Johnson
Amy
A
Loftis
Jennifer
J
Woods
Steven Paul
SP
Mitchell
Suzanne H
SH
Hoffman
William
W
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012201:Reward; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D014728:Veterans