Application of a computational decision model to examine acute drug effects on human risk taking.

Full Abstract

In 3 previous experiments, high doses of alcohol, marijuana, and alprazolam acutely increased risky decision making by adult humans in a 2-choice (risky vs. nonrisky) laboratory task. In this study, a computational modeling analysis known as the expectancy valence model (J. R. Busemeyer & J. C. Stout, 2002) was applied to individual-participant data from these studies, for the highest administered dose of all 3 drugs and corresponding placebo doses, to determine changes in decision-making processes that may be uniquely engendered by each drug. The model includes 3 parameters:
responsiveness to rewards and losses (valence or motivation); the rate of updating expectancies about the value of risky alternatives (learning/memory); and the consistency with which trial-by-trial choices match expected outcomes (sensitivity). Parameter estimates revealed 3 key outcomes:
Alcohol increased responsiveness to risky rewards and decreased responsiveness to risky losses (motivation) but did not alter expectancy updating (learning/memory); both marijuana and alprazolam produced increases in risk taking that were related to learning/memory but not motivation; and alcohol and marijuana (but not alprazolam) produced more random response patterns that were less consistently related to expected outcomes on the 2 choices. No significant main effects of gender or dose by gender interactions were obtained, but 2 dose by gender interactions approached significance. These outcomes underscore the utility of using a computational modeling approach to deconstruct decision-making processes and thus better understand drug effects on risky decision making in humans.

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Author information

Author/s: Lane, Scott D (SD); Yechiam, Eldad (E); Busemeyer, Jerome R (JR);

Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 77030, USA. scott.d.lane(-atsign-)uth.tmc.edu

Grants: DA R01 014119 (Agency:NIDA NIH HHS) ; DA R01 15392 (Agency:NIDA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology (Exp Clin Psychopharmacol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-May; vol 14 (issue 2) : pp 254-64

Dates: Created 2006/06/07; Completed 2006/10/26; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 16756429, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Alcohol Drinking - psychology
Alprazolam - administration & dosage
Choice Behavior - drug effects
Decision Making - drug effects
Female
Humans
Learning - drug effects
Male

Male
Marijuana Smoking - psychology
Memory - drug effects
Models, Psychological
Motivation
Risk-Taking
Sex Characteristics
Substance-Related Disorders - psychology

Associated Chemicals: Alprazolam (28981-97-7)

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