Delay discounting in current and former marijuana-dependent individuals.

Abstract

Studies have found that a variety of drug dependent groups discount delayed rewards more than matched-controls. This study compared delay discounting for a hypothetical $1000 reward among dependent marijuana users, former dependent marijuana users, and matched-controls. Discounting of marijuana was also assessed in the currently marijuana-dependent group. No significant difference in discounting was detected among the groups, however currently dependent users showed a trend to discount money more than the other two groups. Within the dependent marijuana group, marijuana was discounted more than money, and discounting for money and marijuana were significantly and positively correlated. Regression analyses indicated that delay discounting was more closely associated with tobacco use than marijuana use. A variety of questionnaires were also administered, including impulsivity questionnaires. Dependent marijuana users scored as significantly more impulsive on the Impulsiveness subscale of the Eysenck Impulsiveness-Venturesomeness-Empathy questionnaire than controls. However, the three groups did not significantly differ on several other personality questionnaires including the Barratt Impulsivity Scale-11. The Stanford Time Perception Inventory Present-Fatalistic subscale was positively correlated with money and marijuana discounting, indicating that a greater sense of powerlessness over the future is related to greater delay discounting. Results suggest that current marijuana dependence may be associated with a trend toward increased delay discounting, but this effect size appears to be smaller for marijuana than for previously examined drugs.

Differential relations between delay discounting and distress tolerance as a function of opportunity cost and alcohol use.

“…Cannabis use was not correlated with discounting in the DD-ST task, a finding consistent with most other published studies (M. W. Johnson et al, 2010;Kollins, 2003). Interestingly, the correlation between cannabis use and DD-MAX AUC remained significant after outliers on the DD-MAX task were removed and participants with high DSM-5 scores for tobacco were excluded from the analysis.…”

Acute and Chronic Effects of Cannabinoids on Human Cognition—A Systematic Review

“…Behavioral risk taking was greater in adolescents with a mean period of abstinence of 53 days (85) and associated with extent of prior exposure in users with an abstinence period of 25 days (127), but was unaffected in other studies of current users (50,56,125). No delay discounting performance differences were found between current and abstinent users and control subjects (128). Thus, risky decision making and sensitivity to reward are increased during acute intoxication.…”

“…Numerous studies have not controlled for premorbid functioning or ascertained current intellectual functioning; .50% of studies did not report IQ or years of education. Where groups were matched on IQ or IQ was controlled for in analyses, persistent impairments to cognition were identified for immediate and delayed memory (79), verbal learning and memory (39,61), verbal fluency, attention, and executive function (61) [although not in other studies (84,128)]. …”

How do construal levels affect the intertemporal choices of Internet addicts?

“…Numerous studies have found that people often prefer to receive an immediate smaller benefit rather than a delayed larger one (O'Donoghue & Rabin, 1999;Thaler, 1981). Research on individuals suffering from overeating disorders (Rasmussen, Lawyer, & Reilly, 2010) or addictions, including drug (Johnson et al, 2010;Kirby et al, 1999), smoking (Ohmura, Takahashi, & Kitamura, 2005), gambling (Alessi & Petry, 2003) and Internet (Saville, Gisbert, Kopp, & Telesco, 2010) addiction, has shown that they all tend to be more shortsighted than normal, healthy individuals, demonstrating excessive delay discounting rates or small subjective values (MacKillop et al, 2011). These individuals with behavioral abnormalities are more prone to choose immediately available, though smaller benefits over larger, though distant ones (e.g., those that contribute to health or strengthen family and social relationships).…”