HD Blog

Skin conductance responses (SCRs) of 15 HD participants and 16 healthy controls were measured while they performed a computerized version of the Simulated Gambling Task (SGT).

We put 15 people with HD and 16 without HD through tests involving gambling and we measured if risk made both sweat about the same.

The results replicated our previous finding of a performance decrement in HD, and showed that HD was associated with an altered pattern of SCRs during the risky decision task.

We've done similar testing before with similar results.

Specifically, the healthy controls produced increased SCRs following selections from the disadvantageous decks and following losing selections.

We "stacked the deck" and made things rough for them to see how they'd sweat.

In contrast, the SCRs of the HD group did not differentiate between wins and losses.

When we did the same thing to those with HD, they reacted the same whether they won or loss.

These findings indicate a reduced impact of loss on decision-making processes under risky conditions in HD.

Those with HD are not as likely to be "Risk Adverse". They are less likely to be affected by bad outcomes, so their decisions will be different. This could lead to taking bigger chances (risks), more often.

PMID: 15012844