Altered dopamine function in pathological gambling.
BACKGROUND
The possibility that monoaminergic neurotransmission is altered in pathological gambling was examined.


METHODS
Monoamines and their metabolites were measured in CSF obtained at level L4-5 from ten pathological gamblers and seven controls.


RESULTS
A decrease in dopamine and an increase in 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanilic acid was found. Noradrenaline and its metabolite 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol was also increased but 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
It is suggested that the function of the dopaminergic system, possibly mediating positive and negative reward, and the noradrenergic system, possibly mediating selective attention, is changed in pathological gambling.
Bergh
C
C
Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Family Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden.
Eklund
T
T
Södersten
P
P
Nordin
C
C
D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D009042:Motivation; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology
D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid