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Cognitive Deficits in Executive Functions and Decision-Making Impairments Cluster Gambling Disorder Sub-types

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Abstract

To identify Gambling Disorder (GD) subtypes, in a population of men seeking treatment for GD, according to specific executive function domains (i.e., cognitive flexibility, inhibition and working memory as well as decision making) which are usually impaired in addictive behaviors. A total of 145 males ranging from 18 to 65 years diagnosed with GD were included in this study. All participants completed: (a) a set of questionnaires to assess psychopathological symptoms, personality and impulsivity traits, and (b) a battery of neuropsychological measures to test different executive functioning domains. Two clusters were identified based on the individual performance on the neuropsychological assessment. Cluster 1 [n = 106; labeled as Low Impaired Executive Function (LIEF)] was composed by patients with poor results in the neuropsychological assessment; cluster 2 patients [n = 46; labeled as High Impaired Executive Function (HIEF)] presented significantly higher deficits on the assessed domains and performed worse than the ones of LIEF cluster. Regarding the characterization of these two clusters, patients in cluster 2 were significantly older, unemployed and registered higher mean age of GD onset than patients in cluster 1. Additionally, patients in cluster 2 also obtained higher psychopathological symptoms, impulsivity (in both positive and negative urgency as well as sensation seeking) and some specific personality traits (higher harm avoidance as well as lower self-directedness and cooperativeness) than patients in cluster 1. The results of this study describe two different GD subtypes based on different cognitive domains (i.e., executive function performance). These two GD subtypes display different impulsivity and personality traits as well as clinical symptoms. The results provide new insight into the etiology and characterization of GD and have the potential to help improving current treatments.

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Acknowledgements

This manuscript and research was supported by grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) (FIS PI14/00290) and co-funded by FEDER funds/European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), a way to build Europe. CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn) and CIBER Salud Mental (CIBERsam) are an initiative of ISCIII. Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (PSI2015-68701-R). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. MLM is supported by a predoctoral Grant of the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (FPU15/02911). GMB is supported by a predoctoral Grant of AGAUR (2016FI_B 00568).

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  1. Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Bellvitge-IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain

    Núria Mallorquí-Bagué, Iris Tolosa-Sola, Fernándo Fernández-Aranda, Ana Beatriz Fagundo, María Lozano-Madrid, Gemma Mestre-Bach, Mónica Gómez-Peña, Neus Aymamí, Indira Borrás-González, Jessica Sánchez-González, Marta Baño, Amparo Del Pino-Gutiérrez, José M. Menchón & Susana Jiménez-Murcia

  2. Ciber Fisiopatologia Obesidad y Nutrición (CB 06/03), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain

    Núria Mallorquí-Bagué, Iris Tolosa-Sola, Fernándo Fernández-Aranda, Roser Granero, Ana Beatriz Fagundo, María Lozano-Madrid, Gemma Mestre-Bach & Susana Jiménez-Murcia

  3. Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Fernándo Fernández-Aranda & Susana Jiménez-Murcia

  4. Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Roser Granero

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  1. Núria Mallorquí-Bagué
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Correspondence to Núria Mallorquí-Bagué or Susana Jiménez-Murcia.

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Mallorquí-Bagué, N., Tolosa-Sola, I., Fernández-Aranda, F. et al. Cognitive Deficits in Executive Functions and Decision-Making Impairments Cluster Gambling Disorder Sub-types. J Gambl Stud 34, 209–223 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-017-9724-0

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