Decisions during negatively-framed messages yield smaller risk-aversion-related brain activation in substance-dependent individuals - PubMed (original) (raw)

. 2013 Dec;27(4):1141-52.

doi: 10.1037/a0030633. Epub 2012 Nov 12.

Affiliations

Rena Fukunaga et al. Psychol Addict Behav. 2013 Dec.

Abstract

A sizable segment of addiction research investigates the effects of persuasive message appeals on risky and deleterious behaviors. However, to date, little research has examined how various forms of message framing and corresponding behavioral choices might by mediated by risk-related brain regions. Using event-related functional MRI, we investigated brain regions hypothesized to mediate the influence of message appeals on decision making in substance-dependent (SD) compared with nonsubstance-dependent (non-SD) individuals. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) was modified to include positively-framed, negatively-framed, and control messages about long-term deck payoffs. In the positively-framed condition, the SD and non-SD groups showed improved decision-making performance that corresponded to higher risk-aversion-related brain activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and anterior insula (AI). In contrast, in the negatively-framed condition, the SD group showed poorer performance that corresponded to lower risk-aversion-related brain activity in the AI region. In addition, only the non-SD group showed a positive association between decision quality and greater risk-related activity in the ACC, regardless of message type. The findings suggest substance-dependent individuals may have reduced neurocognitive sensitivity in the ACC and AI regions involved in risk perception and aversion during decision-making, especially in response to framed messages that emphasize reduced prospects for long-term gains.

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Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1

Figure 1A. Schematic of a trial of the Iowa Gambling Task (Bechara, et al., 1997) with informative messages in a rapid event-related fMRI design. Images across the top represent the visual layout of the display at various times during the trial. Diagram at the bottom indicates trial timecourse with durations and relevant events as classified for fMRI analysis. Figure 1B. Depiction of the two hypotheses about the underlying neural correlates of informative messages on choice during risky decision-making in SD group compared non-SD group: (a) is an illustration of the first hypothesis postulating the SD group to suffer from a weakened neural response to anticipated risk effects, however, showing similar correlational strengths between brain signals and behavior compared to the non-SD group; whereas (b) is a representation of the second hypothesis postulating similar brain activation levels between the two groups, but having significantly different strengths in their relationship between brain activity and task performance.

Figure 2

Figure 2

Group differences in decision quality (DQ). Scores differed significantly between groups for the negatively-framed message and the control message. There also was a trend toward poorer performance in the positively-framed message in the SD group compared to the non-SD group. Error bars indicate within-subject standard error of the mean (SEM) data (Loftus & Masson, 1994).

Figure 3

Figure 3

Behaviorally-relevant neural risk effect averaging across all messages in ACC and DMPFC. (A) Shown in red is a region of the right ACC/DMPFC (BA 24/32, peak voxel: MNI 2, 20, 34), where averaging across messages, there is a correlation between decision quality (DQ) and the risk effect. Sagittal section of the human brain (MNI x = 8). (B) Within the region shown in A (using voxels that passed at p <0.05, FDR), follow-up ROI analysis found risk-aversion-related brain activity to be significantly lower in the SD group when averaged across messages. (C) The correlation of DQ and the risk effect averaged across messages. For panel C, each point represents a participant from either the non-SD or SD group and the solid/dotted lines show the best-fit linear regressions by group.

Figure 4

Figure 4

Behaviorally-relevant neural risk effect averaging across all messages in right INS and IFG. (A) Shown in blue is a region of the right INS/IFG (BA 47, peak voxel: MNI 38, 22, 0), where averaging across messages, there is a correlation between decision quality (DQ) and the risk effect. Transverse section of the human brain (MNI z = 0). (B) Within the region shown in A (using voxels that passed at p <0.05, FDR), follow-up ROI analysis found risk-aversion-related brain activity to be significantly lower in the SD group for the negatively-framed message and when averaged across messages. (C) The correlation of DQ and the risk effect with the negative message. For panel C, each point represents a participant from either the non-SD or SD group and the solid/dotted lines show the best-fit linear regressions by group.

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