title: Time devours things: how impulsivity and time affect temporal decisions in pathological gamblers.
abstract: Impulsivity is associated with several psychiatric disorders in which the loss of control of a specific behavior determines the syndrome itself. One particularly interesting population characterized by reported high impulsivity and problematic decision-making are those diagnosed with pathological gambling. However the association between impulsivity and decision making in pathological gambling has been only partially confirmed until now. We tested 23 normal controls and 23 diagnosed pathological gamblers in an intertemporal choice task, as well as other personality trait measurements. Results showed that gamblers scored higher on impulsivity questionnaires, and selected a higher percentage of impatient choices (higher percentage of smaller, sooner rewards), when compared to normal controls. Moreover, gamblers were faster in terms of reaction times at selecting the smaller, sooner options and discounted rewards more rapidly over time. Importantly, regression analyses clarified that self-reported measures of impulsivity played a significant role in biasing decisions towards small but more rapidly available rewards. In the present study we found evidence for impulsivity in personality traits and decisions in pathological gamblers relative to controls. We conclude by speculating on the need to incorporate impulsivity and decision biases in the conceptualization of pathological gambling for a better understanding and treatment of this pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grecucci
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cognitive Science and Technology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giorgetta
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rattin
authors.affiliation: Società Italiana Intervento Patologie Compulsive (SIIPAC), Bolzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guerreschi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alan G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Sanfey
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics and Management, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicolao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bonini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged