Risk factors for pathological gambling

To better understand pathological gambling, potential risk factors were assessed within three domains--gambling behaviors, substance abuse and other problem behaviors, and sociodemographic factors. A random-digit-dial telephone survey was conducted in 1999-2000 with a representative sample of the U.S. population aged 18 or older. The current analyses uses data from the 2168 respondents who gambled in the year before the interview. Gambling measures included the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS)-IV for pathological gambling, frequency of 15 types of gambling, and size of win or loss on the last occasion. Other measures included the quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption, frequency of illicit drug use and criminal offending, and the DIS-IV for alcohol and drug abuse and dependence. Results showed that casino gambling is associated with a high risk of gambling pathology. Lottery, cards, and bingo are associated with a moderately high risk of gambling pathology. Participation in a greater number of types of gambling is strongly predictive of gambling pathology, even after frequency of gambling and size of win or loss are taken into account. Alcohol abuse is strongly predictive of gambling pathology, even with gambling behaviors held constant. Minority and low socioeconomic status (SES) group members have higher levels of gambling pathology than other groups after all other factors are considered.     

Node-link-mapping-enhanced group treatment for pathological gambling

Two experiments evaluated a group treatment for pathological gambling that used node-link mapping techniques to enhance treatment effectiveness. In Experiment 1, 13 (8 female) pathological gamblers were randomly assigned to either a mapping group (n=4), a nonmapping group (n=4), or a wait-list control group (n=5). The treatments were conducted by Master's level counselors during 90-min sessions conducted twice per week for 8 weeks. Participants were assessed pre- and post-8 weeks and then 6 months later on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th ed. (DSM-IV) pathological gambling criteria, three self-ratings of control of gambling, gambling expenditure, and gambling bout duration. Experiment 2 replicated the mapping (n=9; 8 female) and wait-list (n=10; 8 female) conditions of Experiment 1 and expanded the dependent measures to include assessment of changes in cooccurring depression and anxiety. The node-link-mapping-enhanced group treatment produced improvements in more of the dependent measures of pathological gambling than treatment without maps (Experiment 1) or an equivalent-length waiting period (Experiments 1 and 2). It also produced larger decreases in cooccurring depression and anxiety than an equivalent-length waiting period (Experiment 2). The results are consistent with previous treatment research with substance abusers.     

Aripiprazole-induced pathological gambling: a report of 3 cases

We report three cases of pathological gambling induced by aripiprazole, in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. All three patients had no history of pathological gambling, and they started gambling after initiation of treatment with Aripiprazole. The fact that pathological behaviour disappears quickly as medication was ended suggests that an elaborate behavioral manifestation could be related to dopaminergic tone in patients with schizophrenia. We recommend consideration with increased attention for the appearance of pathological gambling symptoms among patients on Aripiprazole.     

Psychopharmacological treatment in pathological gambling: a critical review

Given the rates of pathological gambling and its impact on affected individuals and their relatives, effective treatments are needed. There are, however, no approved pharmacological treatments for pathological gambling. This paper describes the development of pharmacological treatments for pathological gambling and is based on a review of the literature published in the past 10 years. Important studies were carried-out on antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotic agents. In the absence of comorbid psychiatric disorder, these studies did not conclude to the efficacy of these psychotropic drugs. A possible efficacy of opiate antagonist treatment for pathological gambling has been replicated in a number of placebo-controlled studies. Preliminary results on N-acetyl cysteine, Memantine and Topiramate produced significant improvement for pathological gamblers and may open new avenues for treatment.     

Antiparkinsonian medication and pathological gambling

Parkinson's disease is a common condition, usually treated by dopaminergic agents, both ergot and non-ergot. Many behavioural abnormalities are associated with such usage, including impulse control disorders (ICDs), dopamine dysregulation syndrome and 'punding'. Pathological gambling, a form of ICD, comprises persistent and maladaptive gambling of various types that disrupts personal, family or occupational activity. Pathological gambling may be associated with other abnormal actions such as pathological shopping, hoarding and hypersexuality. The incidence varies widely from study to study but may be up to 7% of users of dopaminergic agents. Recognition of this problem has led drug regulatory agencies to add precautions concerning pathological gambling to official drug information for the entire class of antiparkinsonian medications. The literature is not entirely consistent and opinions differ greatly, but pramipexole (a dopamine D2 and D3 agonist), and perhaps ropinirole (also a D2/D3 agonist), may be especially likely to be associated with pathological gambling, although the precise nature of the relationship is unclear. Treatment involves reducing the dose of the medication or switching to another medication; unfortunately, the Parkinson's disease may worsen. The mechanism of this adverse effect is believed to be excessive dopaminergic stimulation but probably not specifically involving D3 receptors. A parallel to addictive behaviour with stimulant drugs has been noted.     

Restrained drinking: risk factor for problems with alcohol?

A seven-item Drinking Restraint Scale (DRS) has been developed which indicates that a style of alcohol consumption, equivalent in a number of ways to the style of food consumption termed eating restraint, may exist. Several hypothesized relationships between DRS scores and other drinking-related measures were confirmed. A restrained drinking style was associated with: more extreme patterns of alcohol consumption; a higher proportion of drinking occasions that result in intoxication; more external styles of alcohol consumption control; and more alcohol-related negative consequences. The latter three relationships were found even when heavy drinkers were excluded from the analysis, which suggests that these relationships are not dependent on a heavy drinking pattern. These findings encourage continued investigation of drinking restraint as a risk factor for developing problems with alcohol.     

Memantine shows promise in reducing gambling severity and cognitive inflexibility in pathological gambling: a pilot study

Rationale  

Although pathological gambling (PG) is relatively common, pharmacotherapy research for PG is limited. Memantine, an N-methyl d-aspartate receptor antagonist, appears to reduce glutamate excitability and improve impulsive decision making, suggesting it may help individuals with PG.     

Outcome of pharmacological treatments of pathological gambling: a review and meta-analysis

Although several qualitative reviews on pharmacological interventions for pathological gambling have been published, no quantitative review of this field has been conducted. METHODS: Studies of pharmacological interventions of pathological gambling were identified by computer searches in the PsychINFO and MEDLINE databases covering the period from 1966 to July 2006, as well as from relevant reference lists. The inclusion criteria were as follows: the target problem had to be pathological gambling, the interventions were pharmacological, the study was written in English, and the study reported outcomes particularly pertaining to gambling. A total of 130 potential studies were identified of which 16 met the inclusion criteria. A total of 597 subjects were included in the outcome analyses of these studies. The grand mean age was 43.3 years. The overall proportion of men was 62.8%. The included studies were coded for outcome measures of pathological gambling. For each condition, means and SDs for gambling-related outcome measures were compiled at 2 points in time: baseline and posttreatment. RESULTS: At posttreatment, the analysis showed that the pharmacological interventions were more effective than no treatment/placebo, yielding an overall effect size of 0.78 (95% confidence interval, 0.64-0.92). A multiple regression analysis showed that the magnitude of effect sizes at posttreatment was lower in studies using a placebo-control condition compared with studies using a predesign/postdesign without any control condition. Effect sizes were also negatively related to the proportion of male participants in the included studies. No differences in outcome between the 3 main classes of pharmacological interventions (antidepressants, opiate antagonists, mood stabilizers) were detected. CONCLUSION: Pharmacological interventions for pathological gambling may be an adequate treatment alternative in pathological gambling.     

Paroxetine treatment of pathological gambling: a multi-centre randomized controlled trial

Previous studies have suggested the efficacy of serotonergic agents in the treatment of pathological gambling. The aim of the present study was to determine whether treatment with paroxetine in a large sample of subjects with pathological gambling would effectively diminish the severity of gambling symptoms. A 16-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at five outpatient academic research centres in two countries (USA and Spain). Seventy-six outpatients (mean age 45.4+/-10.6 years; 30 women, 46 men) with pathological gambling were randomized to acute treatment with paroxetine in flexible daily dosages of 10-60 mg/day (n=36) or placebo (n=40). The primary outcome measure was the Clinical Global Impressions scale. Both the paroxetine- and the placebo-treated groups demonstrated comparable improvement at 16 weeks (59% response rate in the paroxetine group, 49% rate in the placebo group; chi squared=0.737; d.f.=1; P=0.390). Paroxetine consistently resulted in a greater percentage of responders at each study visit compared to placebo but failed to demonstrate statistical superiority to placebo on scores on the Clinical Global Impressions scale, the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale Modified for Pathological Gambling, or the Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale. High rates of symptom improvement were observed in pathological gamblers receiving either paroxetine or placebo after 16 weeks. Paroxetine consistently demonstrated an advantage over placebo on the Clinical Global Impressions scale; however, a larger sample size may have registered significant differences.     

Gambling and pathological gambling among university students

Students from six colleges and universities in five states in the U.S. (New York, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Texas, and Nevada) were surveyed concerning their gambling behavior and the rate of pathological gambling. Type of gambling varied by state, with students in the northeast and Nevada gambling more than students in Oklahoma and Texas. Over 90% of males and 82% of females had gambled. One third of the males and 15% of females gambled once a week or more. Rates of pathological gambling ranged from 8% in New York to 4% in Nevada. The incidence of pathological gambling was high among males, Hispanics, Asians, and Italian-Americans (compared with among other whites), students with non-traffic arrests, those with parents who have gambling problems, and those who abuse alcohol and other drugs. Pathological gambling was only weakly correlated with age, religion, lower grade point average in school, overeating, living in neighborhoods that are "poorer than most," family income, and parental drug use. It was not correlated with academic year in college, marital status, parental occupation, parental alcohol, and bulimic behavior. The implications of the findings for further research and social policy are discussed.     

Treatment of pathological gambling with naltrexone pharmacotherapy and brief intervention: a pilot study

We explored the efficacy of the opiate antagonist, naltrexone, as a treatment for pathological gambling. Treatment seeking pathological gamblers (n = 39) (according to both South Oaks Gambling Screen and a screen based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) participated into our treatment study during 2009. The subjects were instructed to use 50 mg of naltrexone before gambling or when feeling craving towards gambling. The protocol contained one initial doctor visit with motivational brief intervention. During period that were free of gambling, the subjects were instructed to practice other healthy behavioral alternatives to gambling. The primary outcome measure was the Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale adapted for Pathological Gambling. The other outcome measurements were the EQ-5D quality of life survey, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and the Beck Depression Inventory. The average age of the subjects was 39 years; 80% were men. Highly significant (p < 0.01) decreases in reported obsessive-compulsive gambling and depressive symptoms and increases in the subjective quality of life developed in the study. These positive changes suggest that this simple, inexpensive treatment helps pathological gamblers. The role of naltrexone in the treatment effect, however, needs to be determined with a larger, placebo-controlled study.     

Substance abuse, pathological gambling, and impulsiveness

This study evaluated behavioral and self-report indices of impulsiveness in pathological gambling substance abusers (n=27), non-pathological gambling substance abusers (n=63), and non-pathological gambling/non-substance abusing controls (n=21). The Bechara card task measured preferences for decks of cards that ranged in magnitude and probability of delayed and immediate rewards and punishers. The Stanford Time Perception Inventory (STPI) assessed orientation to the future, the Zuckerman Sensation Seeking Scale evaluated sensation seeking, and the Eysenck and Barratt scales measured impulsivity. A Principal Components analysis revealed that these personality measures comprised three distinct measures of impulsivity: impulse control, novelty seeking and time orientation. Linear contrast analyses revealed that substance abuse and pathological gambling resulted in additive effects on the impulse control and time orientation factors, but not on the novelty-seeking scale. Performance on the card task did not correlate with any of the three factors derived from the personality scale scores, but the presence of both substance abuse and pathological gambling had an additive effect on preferences for decks containing greater immediate gains but resulting in large punishers and overall net losses. These results provide further evidence of an association among substance abuse, pathological gambling, and impulsivity.     

Health correlates of pathological gambling in a methadone maintenance clinic

This study compared methadone maintenance patients with and without pathological gambling (n = 167). Participants completed a self-report survey assessing lifetime pathological gambling and past-2-month gambling behavior, and they completed the SF-12v2 Health Survey, a measure of current mental and physical health. In the sample, 52.7% were classified as lifetime pathological gamblers, and the majority of pathological gamblers were actively gambling within the past 2 months. Multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that methadone maintenance patients with pathological gambling had significantly poorer mental and physical health than methadone maintenance patients without pathological gambling. These results suggest that pathological gamblers receiving methadone maintenance may benefit from additional psychosocial services. In fact, most pathological gamblers in the sample expressed interest in gambling-related services. These results extend previous research in other populations that has found that pathological gamblers report poorer mental and physical health than nonpathological gamblers.     

Dimensions and disorder specificity of impulsivity in pathological gambling

Impulsivity is a core characteristic of pathological gambling (PG), even though the underlying structure and disorder specificity is unclear. This study aimed to explore different dimensions of impulsivity in a clinical sample including PG. Furthermore, we aimed to test which alterations of the impulsivity-related dimensions are disorder specific for PG. Participants were individuals diagnosed with PG (n = 51) and two groups also characterized by various impulsive behaviors: an alcohol dependence (AD; n = 45) and a Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS; n = 49) group. A healthy control (HC; n = 53) group was recruited as comparison group. A comprehensive assessment was used including impulsivity-related and antipodal parameters of the Stop Signal Task, Stroop Task, Tower of London Task, Card Playing Task, Iowa Gambling Task and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11. Principal axis factor analysis revealed four impulsivity-related dimensions that were labeled ‘self-reported impulsivity’, ‘prepotent response impulsivity’, ‘choice impulsivity’ and ‘motor impulsivity’. The PG group scored significantly higher on all four dimensions compared to the HC group. In contrast, the PG group did not differ on any of the dimensions from the AD or the GTS group, except for ‘choice impulsivity’ where the PG group exhibited higher factor scores compared to the GTS group. Altogether, PG is associated with generally heightened impulsivity profiles compared to a HC group, which may be further used for intervention strategies. However, heightened scores in the impulsivity dimensions are not disorder specific for PG. Further research on shared or different underlying mechanisms of these overlapping impulsivity impairments is necessary.     

Similarities and differences between pathological gambling and substance use disorders: a focus on impulsivity and compulsivity

Rationale  

Pathological gambling (PG) has recently been considered as a “behavioral” or nonsubstance addiction. A comparison of the characteristics of PG and substance use disorders (SUDs) has clinical ramifications and could help advance future research on these conditions. Specific relationships with impulsivity and compulsivity may be central to understanding PG and SUDs.     

Neurobiological correlates of internet gaming disorder: Similarities to pathological gambling

The number of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) is on the rise worldwide along with the fascination that they inspire. Problems occur when the use of MMOs becomes excessive at the expense of other life domains. Although not yet formally included as disorder in common diagnostic systems, internet gaming disorder (IGD) is considered a “condition for further study” in section III of the DSM-5. The current review aims to provide an overview of cognitive and neurobiological data currently available on IGD, with a particular focus on impulsivity, compulsivity, and sensitivity to reward and punishment. Additionally, we also compare these findings on IGD with data from studies on pathological gambling (PG)-so far the only condition officially classified as a behavioral addiction in the DSM-5.Multiple similarities have been observed in the neurobiology of IGD and PG, as measured by alterations in brain function and behavior. Both patients with IGD and those with PG exhibited decreased loss sensitivity; enhanced reactivity to gaming and gambling cues, respectively; enhanced impulsive choice behavior; aberrant reward-based learning; and no changes in cognitive flexibility.In conclusion, the evidence base on the neurobiology of gaming and gambling disorders is beginning to illuminate the similarities between the two. However, as only a few studies have addressed the neurobiological basis of IGD, and some of these studies suffer from significant limitations, more research is required before IGD's inclusion as a second behavioral addiction in the next versions of the ICD and DSM can be justified.     

Sustained-release bupropion versus naltrexone in the treatment of pathological gambling: a preliminary blind-rater study

BACKGROUND: Pathological gambling (PG) is a relatively common and highly disabling impulse control disorder. A range of psychotherapeutic agents, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, mood stabilizers, and opioid antagonists, has been shown to be effective in the treatment of PG. The use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and opioid antagonists for PG is consistent with the observation that PG shares features of both the obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders and addictive disorders. The aim of the study is to compare the effectiveness of sustained-release bupropion versus naltrexone in the treatment of PG. METHODS: Thirty-six male pathological gamblers were enrolled in our study. A comprehensive psychiatric diagnostic evaluation was performed at baseline on all patients, and patients were screened for symptoms of gambling, depression, and anxiety using the South Oaks Gambling Screen, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and the Clinical Global Impression-Severity Scale. In addition, the patients completed self-report questionnaires about their demographic status. Patients were randomized in 2 groups and received either naltrexone (n = 19) or sustained-release bupropion (n = 17) for 12 weeks in a parallel fashion. Treatment response was monitored using the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement Scale which was performed at weeks 2, 4, 8, and 12. Patients were also assessed for the presence of gambling behavior via an unstructured interview, which was also performed at weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12. Raters were blind to the study treatment. RESULTS: The majority of patients responded well to the drug treatment. Twelve of 17 patients in the sustained-release bupropion group completed the 12-week study, and 13 of 19 naltrexone patients completed the study. Nine (75%) of the 12 completers were rated as full responders in the sustained-release bupropion group versus 10 (76%) of 12 in the naltrexone group. Three (25%) of 12 completers in the bupropion group were rated as partial responders. In the naltrexone group, 3 (23%) of 13 completers were rated as partial responders. Full response was defined as the absence of gambling for a 2-week duration together with improvement on the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement Scale. Partial response was defined as a decrease in the frequency of gambling behavior and a decrease in the amount of money spent on gambling. CONCLUSION: This preliminary study shows that sustained-release bupropion may be effective as naltrexone in the treatment of PG. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.