The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER, 8(31) - Biology, Addiction, and Gambling: Variety is the Soul of Pleasure

Last week in WAGER 8 (30), we introduced a special series on biology, addiction, and gambling. We noted that the “reward system” of the brain, which can create pleasurable feelings through a release of dopamine, might play a role in the development of addiction. In this week’s WAGER, we review a study that demonstrates how specific areas of the brain associated with dopamine systems, the substantia nigra and the ventral tegmental area, respond to different decision-making scenarios, revealing potentially important implications for research on gambling behavior (see Figure 1)(Hollerman & Schultz, 1998). Figure 1. Diagram of areas of the brain... Read more →

The WAGER, 8(30) - Biology, Addiction, and Gambling: Series Introduction

Pathological gambling (PG) and sub-clinical gambling problems can be deconstructed into psychological, social and biological components. Initially, the majority of research on gambling disorders examined social and psychological aspects of the ailment. Recent progress in theory, research methods, and technology has allowed for important advances in research on biological factors that contribute to the development and persistence of gambling problems. This week’s WAGER reviews some of the neurogenetic and neuroanatomical research reported in previous issues of The WAGER and introduces a special WAGER series on biological markers of addiction related to problem gambling. Neuropsychology is a challenging research topic, and... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 8(29) - Reshaping Gambling Beliefs Through Group Therapy

The principal aim of cognitive therapy for gambling disorders is to correct misconceptions about gambling that contribute to the establishment and maintenance of a gambling disorder (for a review of cognitive therapy see WAGER 4(7)). Ladouceur et al. (2001; 1998) have previously demonstrated the efficacy of individual cognitive therapy in decreasing disordered gambling. Delivering treatment in a group format can be more cost-effective than individual treatment, reduce wait-lists, and can result in treatment benefits derived from observational learning. Consequently, Ladouceur et al. (2003) undertook a subsequent study to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive therapy offered in a group format. Pathological... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 8(28) - College Student Gambling in the United States: Part 3

In the past two issues, The WAGER reported on research by Slutske, Jackson, and Sher (2003) that examined the trajectory and prevalence of gambling problems among college students. This research, which found lower rates of college students with problems due to gambling than previously reported, utilized an 11-year longitudinal design to investigate both past-year and lifetime self-reports of gambling problems at four different time points. This week’s WAGER concludes our review of Slutske et al’s (2003) study with a look at reported lifetime prevalence of gambling problems across the 11 years of the study. In addition to past-year reports of... Read more →

Wager 8(27) - College Student Gambling in the United States: Part II

As reported in last week’s WAGER, a recent study by Slutske, Jackson, and Sher (2003) suggests that problem gambling rates among college students are lower than reported in previous studies. While the study by Slutske et al. is somewhat limited by the homogeneity of the study sample (i.e., subjects were first-year first time students in Missouri colleges), the longitudinal design of the study (11 years) and high participant retention rate (84% at year 11) provide a reliable information base for long-term analyses of the past-year and lifetime gambling habits of one segment of the population of young Americans who went... Read more →