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.

The cognitive effects of hepatitis C in the presence and absence of a history of substance use disorder.

The aim of the study was to determine whether infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is associated with cognitive impairment beyond the effects of prevalent comorbidities and a history of substance use disorder (SUD). Adult veterans were recruited from the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center into three groups: (1) HCV+/SUD+ (n = 39), (2) HCV+/SUD- (n = 24), and (3) HCV-/SUD- (n = 56). SUD+ participants were in remission for > or =90 days, while SUD- participants had no history of SUD.