Pathological Gambling: A Psychobiological Study

A. Roy, B. Adinoff, L. Roehrich, D. Lamparski, R. Custer, V. Lorenz, M. Barbaccia, A. Guidotti, E. Costa, M. Linnoila

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

202 Scopus citations

Abstract

We investigated psychobiological substrates of pathological gambling by measuring levels of norepinephrine, monoamine metabolites, and peptides in cerebrospinal fluid, plasma, and urine. Pathological gamblers had a significantly higher centrally produced fraction of cerebrospinal fluid levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol as well as significantly greater urinary outputs of norepinephrine than controls. These results suggest that pathological gamblers may have a functional disturbance of the noradrenergic system. This system has been postulated to underlie sensation-seeking behaviors, aspects of which are thought to be abnormal among pathological gamblers.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)369-373
Number of pages5
JournalArchives of General Psychiatry
Volume45
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1988

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Pathological Gambling: A Psychobiological Study'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this