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01-12-2018 | Original Paper

In Search of Executive Impairment in Pathological Gambling: A Neuropsychological Study on Non-treatment Seeking Gamblers

Authors: Alexandros Kapsomenakis, Panagiotis G. Simos, Georgios Konstantakopoulos, Dimitrios S. Kasselimis

Published in: Journal of Gambling Studies | Issue 4/2018

Abstract

Pathological gambling is characterized by a persisting maladaptive and recurrent behavior with severe social and psychological consequences. There is evidence of strong comorbidity with psychiatric manifestations as well as cognitive mainly involving executive functions. This study aimed to investigate impairment in executive functions and working memory, and personality traits in a sample of Greek gamblers. Twenty-four men involved in various gambling activities were recruited from ecological settings as probable pathological gamblers. They were assessed with a comprehensive neuropsychological battery involving several executive tasks, the Zuckerman–Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. An age- and education-level matched group of 21 men without history of habitual gambling served as controls. As a group, gamblers displayed significantly lower scores on indices of inhibition, decision making and self-reported emotional awareness, and scored higher on impulsivity/sensation seeking personality traits. Notably, gamblers scored similarly or significantly higher on measures of verbal and visuospatial working memory, cognitive flexibility, processing speed, verbal fluency, and sustained attention. Overall, we argue that gamblers do present with specific cognitive deficits, but there is no evidence for a generalized executive impairment, and further stress the importance of investigating cognitive, personality, and psychiatric aspects of gambling on the basis of an ecologically valid sampling.

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Title: In Search of Executive Impairment in Pathological Gambling: A Neuropsychological Study on Non-treatment Seeking Gamblers
Authors: Alexandros Kapsomenakis
Panagiotis G. Simos
Georgios Konstantakopoulos
Dimitrios S. Kasselimis
Publication date: 01-12-2018
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Gambling Studies / Issue 4/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3602
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-018-9758-y

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