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Pathological Gambling, Impulse Control Disorder or Behavioural Addiction: What do the Data Indicate?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2020

K. Mann,
T. Leménager,
F. Kiefer and
M. Fauth-Bühler
K. Mann
Affiliation:
Central institute of mental health, university of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
T. Leménager
Affiliation:
Central institute of mental health, department of addictive behavior & addiction medicine, Mannheim, Germany
F. Kiefer
Affiliation:
Central institute of mental health, department of addictive behavior & addiction medicine, Mannheim, Germany
M. Fauth-Bühler
Affiliation:
Central institute of mental health, department of addictive behavior & addiction medicine, Mannheim, Germany

Abstract

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Objective

The reclassification of PG as an addictive disorder is under debate for ICD-11. Data on psychiatric comorbidity and family history might provide the basis for a well-informed decision.

Methods

We compared 515 male pathological gamblers from inpatient treatment units with 269 matched controls. Patients were diagnosed by experienced clinicians. In a random sample of 58 patients clinical diagnoses were validated through SKID 1 interviews [1].

Results

88% had a comorbid diagnosis of substance dependence (nicotine dependence 80%, alcohol dependence 28%). Only 1% of the gamblers had an impulse control disorder diagnosis. Compared with controls first degree relatives were more likely to suffer from alcohol dependence (27.0% vs. 7.4%), PG (8.3% vs. 0.7%) and suicide attempts (2.7% vs. 0.4%).

Conclusions

In addition to recent papers on the neurobiology (Fauth-Bühler et al., 2016) and genetics of gambling [2,3], our findings support the classification of PG as behavioural addiction in the ICD-11 [4].

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Information

Type
Symposium: gaming, gambling, behavioural addictions: challenges in diagnosis and treatment
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 41 , Issue S1: Abstract of the 25th European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2017, pp. S25 - S26
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2017

References

Fauth-Bühler, M.Mann, K.Potenza, M.N. Pathological gambling: Impulse control disorder or addictive disorder? A review of the neurobiological evidence. Addiction Biology 2016[in press]Google Scholar
Lang, M., et al. Genome-Wide Association Study of Pathological Gambling. European Psychiatry 2016 [in press]Google Scholar
Mann, K.et al. Comorbidity, family history and personality traits in treatment seeking pathological gamblers compared with healthy controls. European Psychiatry 2016 [in press]10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.12.002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mann, K.Fauth Bühler, M.Saunders, J.Letter to World Psychiatry 2016;15(3):29729810.1002/wps.20373CrossRefGoogle Scholar
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