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. 2015 Dec;23(6):455-63.
doi: 10.1037/pha0000054.

Heroin delay discounting: Modulation by pharmacological state, drug-use impulsivity, and intelligence

Jonathan J K Stoltman  1 , Eric A Woodcock  1 , Jamey J Lister  1 , Leslie H Lundahl  1 , Mark K Greenwald  2
Affiliations

Heroin delay discounting: Modulation by pharmacological state, drug-use impulsivity, and intelligence

Jonathan J K Stoltman et al. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol. 2015 Dec.

Abstract

Delay discounting (DD) refers to how rapidly an individual devalues goods based on delays to receipt. DD usually is considered a trait variable but can be state dependent, yet few studies have assessed commodity valuation at short, naturalistically relevant time intervals that might enable state-dependent analysis. This study aimed to determine whether drug-use impulsivity and intelligence influence heroin DD at short (ecologically relevant) delays during two pharmacological states (heroin satiation and withdrawal). Out-of-treatment, intensive heroin users (n = 170; 53.5% African American; 66.7% male) provided complete DD data during imagined heroin satiation and withdrawal. Delays were 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours; maximum delayed heroin amount was thirty $10 bags. Indifference points were used to calculate area under the curve (AUC). We also assessed drug-use impulsivity (subscales from the Impulsive Relapse Questionnaire [IRQ]) and estimated intelligence (Shipley IQ) as predictors of DD. Heroin discounting was greater (smaller AUC) during withdrawal than satiation. In regression analyses, lower intelligence and IRQ Capacity for Delay as well as higher IRQ Speed (to return to drug use) predicted greater heroin discounting in the satiation condition. Lower intelligence and higher IRQ Speed predicted greater discounting in the withdrawal condition. Sex, race, substance use variables, and other IRQ subscales were not significantly related to the withdrawal or satiation DD behavior. In summary, heroin discounting was temporally rapid, pharmacologically state dependent, and predicted by drug-use impulsivity and estimated intelligence. These findings highlight a novel and sensitive measure of acute DD that is easy to administer.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart describing participant selection for data analysis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Average value of heroin (y-axis) is plotted at each temporal delay (x-axis), separately by pharmacological-state condition. Standard errors of the mean are depicted.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Modulation of heroin delay discounting (square-root transformed area under the curve value) during hypothetical heroin satiation and withdrawal states by (A) drug-use impulsivity (IRQ Speed subscale scores) and (b) estimated intelligence quotient (Shipley Institute of Living scale scores).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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