Decision-making (in)flexibility in gambling disorder

Behavioral flexibility –the ability to dynamically readjust our behavior in response reward contingency changes– is often investigated using probabilistic reversal learning tasks (PRLT). Poor PRLT performance has been proposed as a proxy for compulsivity, and theorized be related perseverative gambling. Previous attempts measure inflexibility with the patients gambling disorder have, however, used variety of indices that may conflate more general aspects task. Trial-by-trial acquisition reacquisition curves 84 treatment-seeking 64 controls (non-gamblers non-problem recreational gamblers) were analyzed distinguish between (a) variability learning, (b) reversed phases. Complementarily, stay/switch responses throughout task identify (c) premature switching, (d) sensitivity accumulated negative feedback. Even after controlling differences slower their phases, prone maintain decisions despite Inflexibility thus robust phenomenon could predate escalation, or result from massive exposure activities.