Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 10, 2025
07:51
A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder
Published on: June 18, 2018
10.7K
Drugs associated with behavioral addictions: Real world analysis using the WHO pharmacovigilance database
Louis Asselin1, Edouard-Jules Laforgue2, Mélanie Duval3
1Service de pharmacologie clinique, centre d'évaluation et d'information sur la pharmacodépendance-addictovigilance (CEIP-A), CHU de Nantes, Nantes université, 44000 Nantes, France.
Therapie
|August 21, 2025
Summary
This study identified 24 drugs potentially causing behavioral addictions (BA) not listed in product information. Olanzapine was notably linked to well-documented BA cases.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacovigilance
- Addiction Psychiatry
- Drug Safety
Background:
- Behavioral addictions (BA) are a recognized diagnostic entity.
- The association between certain drugs and BA is known, but many remain unidentified.
- Product characteristics often lack information on drug-induced BA.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify drugs not listed in product summaries that are suspected of causing behavioral addictions.
- To investigate potential links between specific medications and various forms of behavioral addiction.
- To highlight drugs requiring further investigation for their role in BA.
Main Methods:
- Vigibase was searched for drugs coded as 'suspect' for behavioral addiction, gambling disorder, gaming disorder, compulsive sexual behavior, bulimia nervosa, binge eating, and compulsive shopping.
- Drugs implicated in at least five cases and lacking BA information in their summaries were selected.
- A descriptive process, disproportionality analysis, and PubMed searches were employed.
Main Results:
- Twenty-four drugs across seven pharmacological classes were identified as potentially associated with BA.
- These classes include antidepressants, antipsychotics, antiepileptics, benzodiazepines, psychostimulants, antidiabetics, and retinoids.
- Olanzapine was the only drug with well-documented cases, positive dechallenges, significant disproportionality, and supporting PubMed literature.
Conclusions:
- Several drugs, particularly olanzapine, are associated with behavioral addictions.
- The findings underscore the need to update drug information regarding BA.
- Further research is warranted to refine diagnostic criteria for addictive disorders related to BA.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Pharmacovigilance
989
Post-marketing surveillance is a critical component of pharmaceutical regulation, often uncovering unanticipated adverse drug reactions (ADRs) once a drug is widely used over an extended period.
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...
989
01:15Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
655
Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not...
655
01:17Drug Dependence
1.2K
Medications are typically administered to achieve therapeutic effects. Some drugs can modify an individual's mood and perception, frequently resulting in various enjoyable experiences. However, this can result in drug dependency, a condition marked by continuous drug use despite potential negative consequences. Drug dependency primarily falls into two categories: psychological and physical dependence. Psychological dependence occurs when the pleasurable feelings induced by the drug...
1.2K
01:25Drug Classes and Categories
2.2K
Drugs can be classified according to their chemical composition or their intended therapeutic application. For instance, anti-infective agents that possess the ability to eliminate pathogens or suppress their growth and reproduction can be grouped based on the organisms they target or their chemical structure. Furthermore, drugs can be divided into prescription, nonprescription, or controlled substances. Prescription medications, such as antibiotics, require oversight from a licensed healthcare...
2.2K
01:21Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake
1.2K
Certain drugs can affect how neurotransmitters called catecholamines, are released or taken back up in the adrenergic neuron. They can have different effects on the body's sympathetic transmission. Reserpine, a natural compound found in the Rauwolfia shrub, blocks a transporter called vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT), which leads to a buildup of catecholamines in the cell and reduces sympathetic transmission. Another drug called guanethidine works in multiple ways, including blocking...
1.2K
01:02Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
844
Prescription drugs require a prescription from a medical practitioner and can only be obtained from a pharmacy. They have many applications, including treating pain, anxiety, and hypertension.
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
844