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Decision making in addiction to crack: a study with the Iowa Gambling Task

This study investigated how decision-making process occurs in crack dependents through the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). 30 participants were selected to crack dependent group - GDC, and 15 non-users controls - GNU, from both sexes. We used the Cocaine Craving Questionnaire-Brief to assess the craving intensity. There were significant differences between groups both in the total-calculus score and in the blocks scores. The learning curve of the GDC was constant and negative during almost all game, except in the very ending when a suggestion of learning was observed. Regarding the task performance's classification, the analysis showed that a significant number of controls participants achieved a non-impaired performance, opposed to GDC performance. The differences between groups investigated in the IGT corroborate with a previous study finding, about a worse decision-making process associated with cocaine and crack addiction.

crack; cocaine; neuropsychological tests; decision making; cognitive processes


Programa de Pós-graduação em Psicologia e do Programa de Pós-graduação em Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte Caixa Postal 1622, 59078-970 Natal RN Brazil, Tel.: +55 84 3342-2236(5) - Natal - RN - Brazil
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