Discounting of delayed rewards and executive dysfunction in individuals infected with hepatitis C.

OBJECTIVE

Determine whether adults with hepatitis C (HCV), regardless of substance use disorder, are more likely to discount delayed rewards than adults without hepatitis C, and explore the relationship between delay discounting and neuropsychological functioning.

METHODS

Procedures included clinical interviews, neuropsychological testing, and a delay discounting task.

RESULTS

Regardless of substance abuse history, adults with hepatitis C were significantly more likely to choose smaller immediate rewards over larger delayed rewards. Delay discounting correlated with performance on executive functioning tasks.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased discounting is associated with broad executive dysfunction, suggesting that HCV-associated executive dysfunction may lead to altered decision-making style.