Molecular Brain Sciences Research Section, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2023 Feb;45(1):31-60. doi: 10.1080/13803395.2023.2187041. Epub 2023 Mar 15.
The Game of Dice Task (GDT) captures probabilistic risk-taking, which is an important feature of addictions and integral to gambling disorder (GD). No research appears to have assessed effects of gambling-specific priming manipulations or the pharmacological basis of such effects on the GDT.
To investigate effects of slot machine gambling (Slots) and d-amphetamine (AMPH; 20 mg) on risk-taking in people with GD and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 30/group). The role of dopamine (DA) was assessed by pre-treating participants with the D2 receptor (D2R)-preferring antagonist, haloperidol (HAL; 3-mg) or mixed D1R-D2R antagonist, fluphenazine (FLU; 3-mg).
Slots and AMPH will each increase risk-taking based on fewer (less probable) possible outcomes selected (POS) and poorer net monetary outcomes (NMO; gains minus losses) on the GDT, with stronger effects in Group GD. If DA mediates these effects, outcomes will vary with pre-treatment.
Participants attended a pre-experimental baseline session and 4 test sessions. Antagonist Group (HAL, FLU) was manipulated between-participants. Pre-treatment (antagonist, placebo) was manipulated within-participants and counterbalanced over sessions for Slots and AMPH test phases. Moderator/mediator effects of trait and neuropsychological factors and GD severity (South Oaks Gambling Screen; SOGS) were explored via covariance.
AMPH led to an escalation in risky POS over trial blocks in both groups, regardless of pre-treatment. Cognitive inflexibility (high perseveration-proneness) moderated this effect in Group HC. In Group GD, SOGS selectively predicted riskier POS on AMPH sessions. Group GD achieved poorer NMO vs. Group HC on the pre-experimental baseline and Placebo-Slots sessions. Group HC selectively displayed poorer NMO on the Antagonist-Slots session.
The GDT can detect behavioral and pharmacological priming effects. Cognitive inflexibility and symptom severity moderate AMPH-induced risk-taking in HC and GD participants, respectively. Sensitization-related "wanting" of risk may contribute to the latter effect in people with GD.
骰子游戏任务（GDT）捕捉到概率风险承担，这是成瘾的一个重要特征，也是赌博障碍（GD）的核心。目前似乎还没有研究评估特定于赌博的启动操作的影响，或者这种影响的药理学基础对 GDT 的影响。
在 GD 患者和健康对照组（HC）中（每组 n=30），评估老虎机赌博（Slots）和苯丙胺（AMPH；20mg）对冒险行为的影响。通过预先用 D2 受体（D2R）偏好拮抗剂氟哌啶醇（HAL；3mg）或混合 D1R-D2R 拮抗剂氟奋乃静（FLU；3mg）预处理参与者，评估多巴胺（DA）的作用。
Slots 和 AMPH 都会增加冒险行为，表现为选择的（较少可能的）结果（POS）较少，GDT 的净货币收益（NMO；收益减去损失）较差，在 Group GD 中影响更强。如果 DA 介导这些影响，结果将随预处理而变化。
参与者参加了一个预实验基线会议和 4 个测试会议。参与者之间采用拮抗剂组（HAL、FLU）进行操纵。预治疗（拮抗剂、安慰剂）在参与者内进行操纵，并在 Slots 和 AMPH 测试阶段之间平衡。通过协方差探讨了特质和神经心理学因素以及 GD 严重程度（South Oaks 赌博筛查量表；SOGS）的调节/中介作用。
无论预处理如何，AMPH 都会导致两组在试验块中冒险的 POS 增加。在 Group HC 中，认知灵活性（高固执倾向）调节了这种影响。在 Group GD 中，SOGS 选择性地预测了 AMPH 治疗期间更冒险的 POS。与 Group HC 相比，Group GD 在预实验基线和 Placebo-Slots 会议上的 NMO 较差。Group HC 仅在 Antagonist-Slots 会议上显示出较差的 NMO。
GDT 可以检测到行为和药理学启动效应。认知灵活性和症状严重程度分别调节 HC 和 GD 参与者中 AMPH 诱导的冒险行为。与 GD 患者相关的“渴望”风险的敏感化可能会导致后者的影响。
