title: Extensive abnormality of brain white matter integrity in pathological gambling.
abstract: Several magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in substance use disorders have shown brain white matter integrity abnormalities, but there are no studies in pathological gambling, a form of behavioral addiction. Our objective was to investigate possible changes in regional brain gray and white matter volumes, and axonal white matter integrity in pathological gamblers compared to healthy controls. Twenty-four subjects (12 clinically diagnosed male pathological gamblers and 12 age-matched healthy male volunteers) underwent structural and diffusion weighted brain MRI scans, which were analyzed with voxel-based morphometry and tract based spatial statistics. In pathological gamblers, widespread lower white matter integrity (lower fractional anisotropy, higher mean diffusivity) was seen in multiple brain regions including the corpus callosum, the cingulum, the superior longitudinal fascicle, the inferior fronto-occipital fascicle, the anterior limb of internal capsule, the anterior thalamic radiation, the inferior longitudinal fascicle and the uncinate/inferior fronto-occipital fascicle. There were no volumetric differences in gray or white matter between pathological gamblers and controls. The results suggest that pathological gambling is associated with extensive lower integrity of several brain white matter tracts. The diffusion abnormality closely resembles previous findings in individuals with substance addictions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Turku Post Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. Electronic address: jtjout@utu.fi.
authors.forename: Juho
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Joutsa
authors.affiliation: Medical Imaging Centre of Southwest Finland, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Jani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saunavaara
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Riitta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parkkola
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Solja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niemelä
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Valtteri
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kaasinen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005715:Gambling / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult