Reduced cortical thickness in gambling disorder: a morphometric MRI study.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Addiction Research

Background:

• Gambling disorder is a recognized behavioral addiction in the DSM-5.
• Its neurobiological underpinnings remain largely unexplored.
• Prevalence rates range from 1-3% globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cortical morphometry in individuals with untreated gambling disorder.
• To compare brain structure between gambling disorder patients and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 3T MRI for neuroimaging.
• Quantified cortical thickness using FreeSurfer automated segmentation.
• Analyzed group differences with permutation cluster analysis and stringent multiple comparison correction.

Main Results:

• Individuals with gambling disorder showed significant reductions in cortical thickness (15.8-19.9%) compared to controls.
• These reductions were predominantly observed in right frontal cortical regions.
• Findings indicate pronounced right frontal morphometric abnormalities in gambling disorder.

Conclusions:

• Cortical morphometry differences support the neurobiological overlap between gambling disorder and substance use disorders.
• The findings reinforce the reclassification of gambling disorder as a behavioral addiction.
• Further research is needed to determine if these changes are trait or state-dependent and to explore similarities with other behavioral addictions.