Pathological gambling. A psychobiological study.
We investigated psychobiological substrates of pathological gambling by measuring levels of norepinephrine, monoamine metabolites, and peptides in cerebrospinal fluid, plasma, and urine. Pathological gamblers had a significantly higher centrally produced fraction of cerebrospinal fluid levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol as well as significantly greater urinary outputs of norepinephrine than controls. These results suggest that pathological gamblers may have a functional disturbance of the noradrenergic system. This system has been postulated to underlie sensation-seeking behaviors, aspects of which are thought to be abnormal among pathological gamblers.
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology; D006018:Glycols / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010551:Personality; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000378:metabolism; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*
D006018:Glycols; D012701:Serotonin; D013004:Somatostatin; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid