Dopamine release in ventral striatum during Iowa Gambling Task performance is associated with increased excitement levels in pathological gambling

TY - JOUR

T1 - Dopamine release in ventral striatum during Iowa Gambling Task performance is associated with increased excitement levels in pathological gambling

AU - Linnet, Jakob

AU - Møller, Arne

AU - Peterson, Ericka

AU - Gjedde, Albert

AU - Doudet, Doris

N1 - © 2010 The Authors, Addiction © 2010 Society for the Study of Addiction.

PY - 2011/2

Y1 - 2011/2

N2 - Aims: Gambling excitement is believed to be associated with biological measures of pathological gambling. Here, we tested the hypothesis that dopamine release would be associated with increased excitement levels in Pathological Gamblers compared with Healthy Controls. Conclusion: Pathological Gamblers and Healthy Controls were experimentally compared in a non-gambling (baseline) and gambling condition. Measurements: We used Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with the tracer raclopride to measure dopamine D 2/3 receptor availability in the ventral striatum during a non-gambling and gambling condition of the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). After each condition participants rated their excitement level. Setting: Laboratory experiment. Participants: 18 Pathological Gamblers and 16 Healthy Controls. Findings: Pathological Gamblers with dopamine release in the ventral striatum had significantly higher excitement levels than Healthy Controls despite lower IGT performance. No differences in excitement levels and IGT performance were found between Pathological Gamblers and Healthy Controls without dopamine release. Pathological Gamblers showed a significant correlation between dopamine release and excitement level, while no such interaction was found in Healthy Controls. Conclusions: In pathological gamblers dopamine release in the ventral striatum appears to be associated with increased excitement levels despite lower IGT performance. The results might suggest a 'double deficit' function of dopamine in pathological gambling, where dopamine release reinforces maladaptive gambling through increasing excitement levels, reducing inhibition of risky decisions, or a combination of both. These findings may have implications for the understanding of dopamine in pathological gambling and other forms of addiction.

AB - Aims: Gambling excitement is believed to be associated with biological measures of pathological gambling. Here, we tested the hypothesis that dopamine release would be associated with increased excitement levels in Pathological Gamblers compared with Healthy Controls. Conclusion: Pathological Gamblers and Healthy Controls were experimentally compared in a non-gambling (baseline) and gambling condition. Measurements: We used Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with the tracer raclopride to measure dopamine D 2/3 receptor availability in the ventral striatum during a non-gambling and gambling condition of the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). After each condition participants rated their excitement level. Setting: Laboratory experiment. Participants: 18 Pathological Gamblers and 16 Healthy Controls. Findings: Pathological Gamblers with dopamine release in the ventral striatum had significantly higher excitement levels than Healthy Controls despite lower IGT performance. No differences in excitement levels and IGT performance were found between Pathological Gamblers and Healthy Controls without dopamine release. Pathological Gamblers showed a significant correlation between dopamine release and excitement level, while no such interaction was found in Healthy Controls. Conclusions: In pathological gamblers dopamine release in the ventral striatum appears to be associated with increased excitement levels despite lower IGT performance. The results might suggest a 'double deficit' function of dopamine in pathological gambling, where dopamine release reinforces maladaptive gambling through increasing excitement levels, reducing inhibition of risky decisions, or a combination of both. These findings may have implications for the understanding of dopamine in pathological gambling and other forms of addiction.

KW - Adult

KW - Analysis of Variance

KW - Arousal

KW - Basal Ganglia

KW - Behavior, Addictive

KW - Biological Markers

KW - Case-Control Studies

KW - Decision Making

KW - Dopamine

KW - Dopamine Antagonists

KW - Gambling

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Positron-Emission Tomography

KW - Raclopride

KW - Receptors, Dopamine D2

KW - Task Performance and Analysis

KW - Young Adult

U2 - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03126.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03126.x

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 20883460

SN - 0965-2140

VL - 106

SP - 383

EP - 390

JO - Addiction

JF - Addiction

IS - 2

ER -