Exaggerated ethanol-induced cardiac reactivity as an indicator of increased risk for gambling

Pathological gambling and alcohol dependence show a high rate of co-occurrence. Some individuals at risk for alcohol dependence display an exaggerated heart rate (HR) increase following alcohol consumption, a characteristic suggesting sensitivity to reward. This study examined whether exaggerated ethanol-induced cardiac reactivity was associated with increased gambling behaviors. One hundred five young men (M = 20.13 years, SD = 1.07) consumed 1 ml of ethanol (95% volume) per kilogram of body weight. HR was measured and participants completed the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS; H. R. Lesieur & S. B. Blume, 1987). Those with higher intoxicated HRs reported significantly greater scores on the SOGS (p = .02). This suggests that ethanol-induced HR increase is a possible marker for addictive disorders.