A6 The role of cognitive dysfunctions in predicting real‐life gambling behaviour
Background: Enhanced gambling cue reactivity and impaired cognitive control are important characteristics in etiological models of gambling disorder (GD). In a pilot study, we established a study protocol to examine whether real-life gambling behaviour in the laboratory is related 1) to cue-reactivity and 2) to cognitive control functions.
Methods: We recruited 15 regular gamblers from gaming halls (n=7 female; age 24 to 69) and assessed gambling behaviour with a real-life gambling machine in the laboratory. During gambling, we assessed heart rate variability (HRV) as indicator of cue-reactivity. All participants performed three cognitive control tasks (inhibition, updating, shifting).
Results: 1) Gambling significantly increased HRV measures. Gambling stakes were positively associated with power in the low- and high-frequency bands of the HRV spectrum during and after gambling. 2) Lower shifting ability was related to higher gambling frequency. Inhibition and updating abilities were not related to gambling behaviour.
Conclusions: We found first evidence that real-life gambling in the laboratory induces cue reactivity, especially if stakes are high, and may be an ecologically valid paradigm in research on disordered gambling behaviour. This paradigm could help to further clarify the role of cognitive control functions in the development of disordered gambling.
PI: Dr. Anja Kräplin
Staff: Helene Hantelmann, Stefanie Kircheis, Myriam Zschieschang-König
Cooperation: Dr. Sebastian Zaunseder
Funding: Funding opportunities for young researchers of the Department of Psychology, TU Dresden;
Duration: 08/2016-12/2017
Publications
Kräplin, A. & Zaunseder, S. (2018, 31.05.-02.06.18). Cue-Reaktivität beim Glücksspielen im Labor: Eine Pilotstudie (talk). Paper presented at the Psychologie und Gehirn, Gießen.
Kräplin, A. & Zaunseder, S. (2018, 23.-25.04.). The role of cue reactivity and cognitive dysfunctions in real-life gambling behaviour: A pilot study (talk). Paper presented at the International Conference on Behavioral Addictions, Köln.