[Pharmacological treatment of pathological gambling].
BACKGROUND
The need for effective treatment for pathological gambling is urgent. The majority of treatment studies and available treatments today are based upon cognitive-behavioural therapy. Recently, however, several studies investigating the effects of pharmacological interventions have been published. We conducted a review of these studies.


METHODS
Studies for inclusion were identified through searches in PubMed covering the period 1950 to June 2005. A total of 12 studies were included.


RESULTS
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and similar compounds were associated with improvement in two out of five placebo-controlled studies and in two out of three studies with a pre-post design. Opioid antagonists were associated with improvement in one placebo-controlled study and in one study with a pre-post design. Mood stabilisers gave improvement in the one placebo-controlled study as well as in both studies with a pre-post design.


CONCLUSIONS
Pharmacotherapy may yield beneficial effects in the treatment of pathological gamblers. Still, more well-controlled studies with control of comorbid psychiatric conditions are needed.
Pallesen
Ståle
S
Institutt for samfunnspsykologi, Universitetet i Bergen, Christies gate 12, 5015 Bergen. staale.pallesen@psysp.uib.no
Molde
Helge
H
Arnestad
Helga Myrseth
HM
Skutle
Arvid
A
Menzoni
Rune
R
Holsten
Fred
F
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D018692:Antimanic Agents; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors