Decision making of heavy cannabis users on the Iowa Gambling Task: stronger association with THC of hair analysis than with personality traits of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire.
Derik Hermann, Tagrid Leménager, Jan Gelbke, Helga Welzel, Gisela Skopp, Karl Mann
European Addiction Research 2009 DOI: 10.1159/000189788 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 26 |
| Population | 13 cannabis users and 13 matched controls |
| Measures | Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Hair THC correlated negatively with performance on the final IGT block (R = -0.67), and harm avoidance correlated negatively with total IGT score across all participants (R = -0.46). Multiple regression indicated chronic THC consumption had a stronger impact on the final IGT block than personality traits, but the authors state this does not establish a causal relationship. |
Abstract
It is unclear whether impairment in decision making, measured by the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), in addiction is substance-induced or the consequence of personality structure. Analysis of the IGT, the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) and cannabinoids in hair and urine were performed in 13 cannabis users and matched controls. Hair Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) correlated negatively with the last subtrial (cards 80-100) of the IGT (R = -0.67). In all participants (n = 26) the TPQ dimension, harm avoidance, correlated negatively with the total IGT score (R = -0.46). The last IGT-subtrial correlated with adventure seeking (R = 0.43), harm avoidance (R = -0.39) and reward dependence (R = -0.44). The last subtrial gives information on whether a participant has learned the IGT strategy. Multiple regression confirmed the impact of THC on the last subtrial, whereas TPQ personality traits did not additionally explain variance. Former indications of the IGT performance depending on the amount of cannabis consumed were replicated with an objective measurement of chronic cannabis consumption (hair THC). Multiple regression analysis argues for a stronger impact of chronic THC consumption than personality traits, but does not provide a causal relationship. Other factors (e.g. genetic) may also play a role.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis People with first episode of psychosis and healthy controls from the local population | 2009 | Case-control study | n = 454 |
| Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population | 2013 | Observational study | |
| Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Otherwise healthy young people | 2000 | Observational | |
| Continued cannabis use and risk of incidence and persistence of psychotic symptoms: 10 year follow-up cohort study Individuals from the general population in Germany aged 14-24 at baseline | 2011 | Observational cohort | n = 1,923 |
| Cannabis-induced psychosis and subsequent schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: follow-up study of 535 incident cases Patients treated for cannabis-induced psychotic symptoms in Denmark between 1994 and... | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 535 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Altered subjective reward valuation among female heavy marijuana users. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology February 2017
- Acute and Chronic Effects of Cannabinoids on Human Cognition-A Systematic Review. Biological Psychiatry April 1, 2016
- Altered subjective reward valuation among drug-deprived heavy marijuana users: Aversion to uncertainty Journal of Abnormal Psychology August 6, 2015
- Effects of chronic marijuana use on brain activity during monetary decision-making. Neuropsychopharmacology February 2012
- Neuropsychological deficits associated with cannabis use in young adults Drug and Alcohol Dependence September 14, 2011
and 2 more in the library
Cites 3
- Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex N-acetylaspartate/total creatine (NAA/tCr) loss in male recreational cannabis users. Biological Psychiatry June 1, 2007
- Elevated impulsivity and impaired decision-making cognition in heavy users of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) Psychopharmacology January 20, 2006
- Neural substrates of faulty decision-making in abstinent marijuana users. Neuroimage June 2005