title: Striatal dopamine D₂/D₃ receptor binding in pathological gambling is correlated with mood-related impulsivity.
abstract: Pathological gambling (PG) is a behavioural addiction associated with elevated impulsivity and suspected dopamine dysregulation. Reduced striatal dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptor availability has been reported in drug addiction, and may constitute a premorbid vulnerability marker for addictive disorders. The aim of the present study was to assess striatal dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptor availability in PG, and its association with trait impulsivity. Males with PG (n=9) and male healthy controls (n=9) underwent [11C]-raclopride positron emission tomography imaging and completed the UPPS-P impulsivity scale. There was no significant difference between groups in striatal dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptor availability, in contrast to previous reports in drug addiction. However, mood-related impulsivity ('Urgency') was negatively correlated with [11C]-raclopride binding potentials in the PG group. The absence of a group difference in striatal dopamine binding implies a distinction between behavioural addictions and drug addictions. Nevertheless, our data indicate heterogeneity in dopamine receptor availability in disordered gambling, such that individuals with high mood-related impulsivity may show differential benefits from dopamine-based medications.
authors: Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. lc260@cam.ac.uk
authors: Luke
authors: L
authors: Clark
authors: Paul R
authors: PR
authors: Stokes
authors: Kit
authors: K
authors: Wu
authors: Rosanna
authors: R
authors: Michalczuk
authors: Aaf
authors: A
authors: Benecke
authors: Ben J
authors: BJ
authors: Watson
authors: Alice
authors: A
authors: Egerton
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Piccini
authors: David J
authors: DJ
authors: Nutt
authors: Henrietta
authors: H
authors: Bowden-Jones
authors: Anne R
authors: AR
authors: Lingford-Hughes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D013223:Statistics as Topic
chemical_list: D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3