Similarities and differences between pathological gambling and substance use disorders: a focus on impulsivity and compulsivity
- PMID: 22057662
- PMCID: PMC3249521
- DOI: 10.1007/s00213-011-2550-7
Similarities and differences between pathological gambling and substance use disorders: a focus on impulsivity and compulsivity
Abstract
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.
Objectives: This review was conducted to compare and contrast research findings in PG and SUDs pertaining to neurocognitive tasks, brain function, and neurochemistry, with a focus on impulsivity and compulsivity.
Results: Multiple similarities were found between PG and SUDs, including poor performance on neurocognitive tasks, specifically with respect to impulsive choice and response tendencies and compulsive features (e.g., response perseveration and action with diminished relationship to goals or reward). Findings suggest dysfunction involving similar brain regions, including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and striatum and similar neurotransmitter systems, including dopaminergic and serotonergic. Unique features exist which may in part reflect influences of acute or chronic exposures to specific substances.
Conclusions: Both similarities and differences exist between PG and SUDs. Understanding these similarities more precisely may facilitate treatment development across addictions, whereas understanding differences may provide insight into treatment development for specific disorders. Individual differences in features of impulsivity and compulsivity may represent important endophenotypic targets for prevention and treatment strategies.
Conflict of interest statement
Disclosures: The authors report that they have no financial conflicts of interest with respect to the content of this manuscript. Dr. Potenza has received financial support or compensation for the following: Dr. Potenza has consulted for and advised Boehringer Ingelheim; has consulted for and has financial interests in Somaxon; has received research support from the National Institutes of Health, Veteran’s Administration, Mohegan Sun Casino, the National Center for Responsible Gaming and its affiliated Institute for Research on Gambling Disorders, and Psyadon, Forest Laboratories, Ortho-McNeil, Oy-Control/Biotie and Glaxo-SmithKline pharmaceuticals; has participated in surveys, mailings or telephone consultations related to drug addiction, impulse control disorders or other health topics; has consulted for law offices and the federal public defender’s office in issues related to impulse control disorders; provides clinical care in the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Problem Gambling Services Program; has performed grant reviews for the National Institutes of Health and other agencies; has guest-edited journal sections; has given academic lectures in grand rounds, CME events and other clinical or scientific venues; and has generated books or book chapters for publishers of mental health texts.
Similar articles
-
Compulsive features in behavioural addictions: the case of pathological gambling.Addiction. 2012 Oct;107(10):1726-34. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03546.x. Epub 2011 Oct 10. Addiction. 2012. PMID: 21985690 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Brain circuitry of compulsivity and impulsivity.CNS Spectr. 2014 Feb;19(1):21-7. doi: 10.1017/S109285291300028X. Epub 2013 May 10. CNS Spectr. 2014. PMID: 23659364 Review.
-
Compulsivity and Impulsivity in Pathological Gambling: Does a Dimensional-Transdiagnostic Approach Add Clinical Utility to DSM-5 Classification?J Gambl Stud. 2015 Sep;31(3):825-47. doi: 10.1007/s10899-014-9470-5. J Gambl Stud. 2015. PMID: 24863627
-
Common neurobiological and psychological underpinnings of gambling and substance-use disorders.Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2020 Apr 20;99:109847. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109847. Epub 2019 Dec 17. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2020. PMID: 31862419 Review.
-
Compulsivity in obsessive-compulsive disorder and addictions.Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2016 May;26(5):856-68. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2015.12.003. Epub 2015 Dec 11. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2016. PMID: 26774279 Review.
Cited by
-
Reduced brain connectivity underlying value-based choices and outcomes in stimulant use disorder.Neuroimage Clin. 2024 Sep 29;44:103676. doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2024.103676. Online ahead of print. Neuroimage Clin. 2024. PMID: 39357470 Free PMC article.
-
Emotional Working Memory Training Treatment for Young Adult Problem Online Sports Bettors: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial.J Gambl Stud. 2024 Dec;40(4):2209-2235. doi: 10.1007/s10899-024-10354-y. Epub 2024 Sep 25. J Gambl Stud. 2024. PMID: 39320663 Clinical Trial.
-
Frontal white and gray matter abnormality in gambling disorder: A multimodal MRI study.J Behav Addict. 2024 Jun 26;13(2):576-586. doi: 10.1556/2006.2024.00031. Print 2024 Jun 26. J Behav Addict. 2024. PMID: 38935433 Free PMC article.
-
Betting on Your Feelings: The Interplay between Emotion and Cognition in Gambling Affective Task.J Clin Med. 2024 May 19;13(10):2990. doi: 10.3390/jcm13102990. J Clin Med. 2024. PMID: 38792531 Free PMC article.
-
Neurophysiological avenues to better conceptualizing adaptive cognition.Commun Biol. 2024 May 24;7(1):626. doi: 10.1038/s42003-024-06331-1. Commun Biol. 2024. PMID: 38789522 Free PMC article.
References
-
- Amato L, Minozzi S, Pani PP, Davoli M. Antipsychotic medications for cocaine dependence. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007;(Issue 3) Art. No.: CD006306. - PubMed
-
- American Psychiatric Association. text revision. 4th edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders.
-
- Baker DA, McFarland K, Lake RW, Shen H, Toda S, Kalivas PW. N-Acetyl Cysteine-Induced Blockade of Cocaine-Induced Reinstatement. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2003;1003:349–351. - PubMed
-
- Bari AA, Pierce RC. D1-like and D2 dopamine receptor antagonists administered into the shell subregion of the rat nucleus accumbens decrease cocaine, but not food reinforcement. Neurosci. 2005;135:959–968. - PubMed
-
- Bechara A, Damasio H. Decision-making and addiction (part I): Impaired activation of somatic states in substance dependent individuals when pondering decisions with negative future consequences. Neuropsychologica. 2002;40:1675–1689. - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical