title: Discounting of delayed rewards and executive dysfunction in individuals infected with hepatitis C.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Northwest Hepatitis C Resource Center, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR 97239, USA. marilyn.huckans@va.gov
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huckans
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seelye
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Woodhouse
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Parcel
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mull
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lahna
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Loftis
authors.forename: Steven Paul
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Suzanne H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hoffman
mesh_terms: 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