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Risk taking during decision-making in normal volunteers changes with age

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2004

JULIA DEAKIN ,
MICHAEL AITKEN ,
TREVOR ROBBINS  and
BARBARA J. SAHAKIAN
JULIA DEAKIN
Affiliation:
Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK
MICHAEL AITKEN
Affiliation:
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
TREVOR ROBBINS
Affiliation:
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
BARBARA J. SAHAKIAN
Affiliation:
Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK
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Abstract

Risk taking in a large cohort of adults (N = 177; ages 17–73) decreased with age, demonstrated by performance on a computer based gambling task, which has previously been shown to be sensitive to certain pharmacological manipulations including tryptophan depletion, lesions of the orbitofrontal cortex and neuropsychiatric disorders such as mania. Aging was also associated with longer deliberation times, poorer decision making, reduced risk taking, but no significant change in delay aversion. Subjects with a higher (NART-estimated) IQ were faster to make decisions and showed a greater modulation of risk-taking. Both sexes showed similar patterns of decision making, although male participants exhibited a greater modulation of risk-taking in response to the probability of winning. The Decision-Gamble task provides a variety of behavioral measures, corresponding to different aspects of impulsivity. Factor analysis of these measures suggested that two independent traits underlies performance on the task in normal individuals: one associated with risk tolerance, and a second associated with delay aversion. Age was related to decreases in the risk tolerance factor, but unrelated to the delay aversion; neither factor was significantly related to verbal IQ. This study thus provides support for the concept that impulsivity can be fractionated into 2 or more components. (JINS, 2004, 10, 590–598.)

Keywords

ImpulsivityGenderDelay-aversionFrontal lobe
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 10 , Issue 4 , July 2004 , pp. 590 - 598
Copyright
2004 The International Neuropsychological Society

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