Xiao et al. (2013) examined BOLD response in a sample of Chinese adolescents, ages 16–18. Fourteen AU youth (defined as binge drinkers) and 14 non-AU youth (never drinkers) were administered a computerized version of the IGT. In terms of task-related behaviour, AU youth performed less well than the non-AU youth, continuing to select from the disadvantageous packs of cards while the non-AU youth switched to advantageous packs over the course of the task. AU youth showed greater task-relevant activation across the left amygdala and left/right insula, as compared with non-AU youth, possibly signifying more involvement of their decision-making neural circuitry than non-AU youth. Within AU youth, a relationship was found between drinking problems and BOLD response. During the IGT, there was a positive correlation with task-relevant right insula activity, and an inverse correlation with OFC activity. The authors connect the pattern of affective decision-making observed within this sample with the larger framework of activation observed for this task across systems of regulatory competence (OFC/VMPC, lateral prefrontal cortex), emotion processing (insula), and behavioural action (dorsal striatum), with an additional pattern of
