Evaluating Gambling Disorder in an American Indian Population Using a Probability Discounting Task during an fMRI Scan

Abstract

Probability discounting has a rich history of investigating choice behavior, especially as it pertains to risky decision making. Gambling involves risky decision making through choice behavior, which makes it an ideal behavior to investigate using discounting tasks. With multiple comorbid features, in addition to environmental factors, the American Indian population have been a neglected population of study. Utilizing outcome measures from a pre-scan probability discounting task, the current study manipulated indifference points two equate task difficulty to evaluate behavioral and neurobiological differences in gamblers versus non-gamblers. Results showed differences in behavioral tasks (lower discounting rates) and neurobiological processes within those in the gambling group. Results of the current study identified both consistent and inconsistent findings with previous studies which may highlight new findings specific to the American Indian gamblers. Findings of the current study show a troubling combination of neurobiological and behavioral dysfunction that add to the hazard of ease of access to gambling and gambling environments.