Who Fails the Iowa Gambling Test (IGT)? Personality, Neuropsychological, and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Findings in Healthy Young Controls

Abstract

The Iowa gambling task (IGT) was designed to assess clinically relevant decision-making impairment, yet some studies find high rates of failure in otherwise healthy control groups. The current study examined variables potentially related to IGT failure, including negative affect, intellect, personality, and executive functioning, in a well-screened sample of healthy young adults. In addition, cerebral oxygenation (near-infrared spectroscopy) was assessed. Results indicated that those who failed the IGT had lower estimated intellect, made more commission errors on the 2-back task, and showed less bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex oxygenation, relative to those who passed. Overall findings are consistent with prior literature suggesting that frontal lobe functioning is related to successful IGT performance and that executive functioning and working memory skills are important components of IGT performance, even in those without clinical disorders or evidence of "real world" dysfunction.

Effects of motor impulsivity and sleep quality on swearing, interpersonally deviant and disadvantageous behaviors on online social networking sites

“…Since GPA can be conceived as an indirect proxy for intellect, long-term orientation and inhibition, this effect is consistent with prior research, which has linked reduced inhibition and intellect to problematic behaviors (Chambers, Garavan, & Bellgrove, 2009;Suhr & Hammers, 2010). This effect diminished, though, after accounting for impulsivity and sleep effects, which may be due the possibility that good academic performance reflects, to some extent, low impulsivity and appropriate sleep.…”

Comparing alternative metrics to assess performance on the Iowa Gambling Task

“…Poorer IGT performance was also associated with reduced working memory and right frontal cerebral oxygenation on near infrared spectroscopy during neuropsychological testing. However, those who failed the IGT did not perform more poorly on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, nor did the groups differ on personality testing (Suhr & Hammers, 2010).…”

“…Women with fibromyalgia were less able to develop an effective decision-making strategy than were healthy controls, as indicated by fewer advantageous decisions during the third block of 20 deck selections (Verdejo-Garcia, Lopez-Torrecillas, Calandre, Delgado-Rodriguez, & Bechara, 2009). Healthy adults who "failed" the IGT were lower in estimated IQ than those who "passed," raising questions about the dissociation of intellect and decision making (Suhr & Hammers, 2010). Poorer IGT performance was also associated with reduced working memory and right frontal cerebral oxygenation on near infrared spectroscopy during neuropsychological testing.…”

Closing the intention–behaviour gap for sunscreen use and sun protection behaviours

“…This task has been previously used to measure individual differences in decision making in normal populations (Suhr & Hammers, 2010). Participants were required to place bets on one of four decks of cards which each resulted in different degrees of loss or gain.…”