Dopamine release in ventral striatum during Iowa Gambling Task performance is associated with increased excitement levels in pathological gambling
Abstract
Aims Gambling excitement is believed to be associated with biological measures of pathological gambling. Here, we tested the hypothesis that dopamine release would be associated with increased excitement levels in Pathological Gamblers compared with Healthy Controls. Design Pathological Gamblers and Healthy Controls were experimentally compared in a non‐gambling (baseline) and gambling condition. Measurements We used Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with the tracer raclopride to measure dopamine D 2/3 receptor availability in the ventral striatum during a non‐gambling and gambling condition of the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). After each condition participants rated their excitement level. Setting Laboratory experiment. Participants 18 Pathological Gamblers and 16 Healthy Controls. Findings Pathological Gamblers with dopamine release in the ventral striatum had significantly higher excitement levels than Healthy Controls despite lower IGT performance. No differences in excitement levels and IGT performance were found between Pathological Gamblers and Healthy Controls without dopamine release. Pathological Gamblers showed a significant correlation between dopamine release and excitement level, while no such interaction was found in Healthy Controls. Conclusions In pathological gamblers dopamine release in the ventral striatum appears to be associated with increased excitement levels despite lower IGT performance. The results might suggest a ‘double deficit’ function of dopamine in pathological gambling, where dopamine release reinforces maladaptive gambling through increasing excitement levels, reducing inhibition of risky decisions, or a combination of both. These findings may have implications for the understanding of dopamine in pathological gambling and other forms of addiction.
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Gambling results in increases in mesolimbic and striatal dopamine release.
“Beyond mesolimbic dopamine’s role in natural rewards and the self-administration of a wide range of addictive substances, recent evidence also suggests that gambling results in increases in mesolimbic and striatal dopamine release (Joutsa et al., 2012; Linnet et al., 2012; Linnet, Møller, Peterson, Gjedde, & Doudet, 2011; Zack & Poulos, 2009).”
From Cued for Risk: Evidence for an Incentive Sensitization Framework to Explain the Interplay between Stress and Anxiety, Substance Abuse, and Reward Uncertainty in Disordered Gambling Behavior (2019) · cites this paper as Linnet, Møller, Peterson, Gjedde, & Doudet, 2011
Striatal dopamine release in problem gamblers correlates with self-reported levels of excitement during a gambling task.
“and with self-reported levels of excitement during a gambling task (Linnet et al., 2011).”
From Cued for Risk: Evidence for an Incentive Sensitization Framework to Explain the Interplay between Stress and Anxiety, Substance Abuse, and Reward Uncertainty in Disordered Gambling Behavior (2019) · cites this paper as Linnet et al., 2011
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“Studies have correlated striatal dopamine release in problem gamblers with severity of problem gambling (Joutsa et al., 2012) and with self-reported levels of excitement during a gambling task (Linnet et al., 2011).”
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- Authors
- Linnet, J., Møller, A., Peterson, E., Gjedde, A., & Doudet, D.
- Affiliations
- Aarhus University (DK)
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Linnet, Jakob
- Venue
- Addiction
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2010-09-30
- Volume
- 106
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 383-390
- ISSN
- 0965-2140 (ISSN-L)
- 1360-0443
- OpenAlex
- W2151801030
- Cited by
- 214
- References
- 49
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 57 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 15.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Addiction (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Southern Denmark Research Portal (University of Southern Denmark) (publishedVersion)
- Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Center for Responsible Gaming
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Keywords
- gambling addiction, dopamine release, ventral striatum, Iowa Gambling Task, risky decision making, double-deficit hypothesis
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Analysis of Variance, Arousal, Basal Ganglia, Decision Making, Dopamine, Gambling, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Task Performance and Analysis, Biomarkers, Case-Control Studies, Behavior, Addictive, Receptors, Dopamine D2, Dopamine Antagonists, Raclopride, Positron-Emission Tomography, Young Adult
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