Neural activity processes in Iowa gambling task among male cadets from a military university——an event-related potential study

Objective To explore the characteristics of task-state electroencephalogram (EEG) in individuals with different risky decision-making abilities in order to better understand the neural activity process and provide neurophysiological assessment metrics for the guidance of ability training. Methods Twenty male cadets from a military university were recruited to assess their risky decision-making ability and measure their event-related potential (ERP) as a neurophysiological indicator using the Iowa gambling task (IGT) with a 32-channel EEG system. The subjects were divided into high- and low-decision-making ability groups by behavioral indicators (net scores), and then their differences in ERP components were analyzed between the 2 groups. Results The behavioral performance of the IGT was increased as the number of choices increased. On the Oz channel, the participants in the high-decision-ability group produced higher amplitudes of early negative wave (ENW), P200, and feedback related negativity (FRN) in both "lose" and "win" situations than those in the low-decision-ability group (P < 0.05). Conclusion The brain's early processing of feedback on outcomes is an important factor in distinguishing high and low decision-making abilities, and can be used to assess the effectiveness of decision-making ability training.