[Wilson's disease in decision-making functions of Iowa gambling task].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the presence of impaired decision-making functions of Wilson's disease patients in Iowa gambling task (IGT) and its association with basal ganglia damage.

METHODS

Thirty-two IGT patients with WD (WD group) and 29 healthy people (control group) were recruited from the same period. And two options of high and low rewards were selected. Before the start of experiment, a basal figure of 2000 yuan was shown on computer display and they were prompted to win more money as much as possible. The general trend was observed with or without social learning effects.

RESULTS

With the increased number of cards selected, the number of favorable and unfavorable selections shifted from negative to positive and gradually rose in the control group. However, such a pattern was absent in the WD group. The WD patients in the IGT group in Trial4 and Trial5 were significantly lower than the controls (P = 0.009 and P = 0.020).

CONCLUSION

The WD IGT patients have significant impairments of policy-making functions due to the damage of basal ganglia. And the effects of copper metabolism on cerebral cortex should be further studied in WD patients.