Pathological gambling is linked to reduced activation of the mesolimbic reward system.
By analogy to drug dependence, it has been speculated that the underlying pathology in pathological gambling is a reduction in the sensitivity of the reward system. Studying pathological gamblers and controls during a guessing game using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we observed a reduction of ventral striatal and ventromedial prefrontal activation in the pathological gamblers that was negatively correlated with gambling severity, linking hypoactivation of these areas to disease severity.
Reuter
Jan
J
NeuroImage Nord, Department of Neurology, Hamburg University Hospital Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
Raedler
Thomas
T
Rose
Michael
M
Hand
Iver
I
Gläscher
Jan
J
Büchel
Christian
C
D000328:Adult; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000473:pathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality; D005715:Gambling; D006801:Humans; D008032:Limbic System / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012201:Reward; D012309:Risk-Taking
D010100:Oxygen