Skip to main content

Association of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with gambling disorder

Journal of Neural Transmission volume 123, pages 1013–1019 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a frequent mental disorder with childhood onset and high persistence into adulthood. There is much evidence that ADHD increases the risk for the development of other psychiatric disorders and functional problems in several domains of everyday life. In this study, the association of ADHD with gambling disorder (GD) was investigated. 163 adult subjects suffering from GD were examined for childhood and current ADHD according to DSM-5 as well as co-morbid psychiatric disorders. Moreover, characteristics of gambling behavior have been evaluated. The prevalence of lifetime ADHD was 28.8 %, with 25.2 % of the study population presenting ADHD as a full syndrome according to DSM-5. The prevalence of co-morbid substance use disorders and adjustment disorders and cluster B personality disorders was higher in GD patients with current ADHD than in the group without. Also, an increased rate of suicide attempts was detected in gamblers with ADHD. In contrast with gamblers without ADHD, those with ADHD were reported to spend more time with gambling, a sedative effect of gambling and a faster development of GD. The high prevalence of ADHD in patients with GD indicates that childhood ADHD is a risk factor for the development of GD in later life. Moreover, treatment of patients with GD and ADHD is complicated by a high rate of co-morbid disorders. Regarding therapeutic approaches, it should be considered that functional aspects of gambling differ in GD patients with and without ADHD.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Alessi SM, Petry NM (2003) Pathological gambling severity is associated with impulsivity in a delay discounting procedure. Behav Processes 64:345–354

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association (2013) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th edn. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Aymamí N, Jiménez-Murcia S, Granero R, Ramos-Quiroga JA, Fernández-Aranda F, Claes L, Sauvaget A, Grall-Bronnec M, Gómez-Peña M, Savvidou LG, Fagundo AB, Del Pino-Gutierrez A, Moragas L, Casas M, Penelo E, Menchón JM (2015) Clinical, psychopathological, and personality characteristics associated with ADHD among individuals seeking treatment for gambling disorder. Biomed Res Int 2015:965303. doi:10.1155/2015/965303

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bergh C, Eklund T, Södersten P, Nordin C (1997) Altered dopamine function in pathological gambling. Psychol Med 27:473–475

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blanco C, García-Anaya M, Wall M, de Los Cobos JC, Swierad E, Wang S, Petry NM (2015) Should pathological gambling and obesity be considered addictive disorders? A factor analytic study in a nationally representative sample. Drug Alcohol Depend 150:129–134

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Blaszczynski A, Nower L (2002) A pathways model of problem and pathological gambling. Addiction 97:487–499

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brand M, Kalbe E, Labudda K, Fujiwara E, Kessler J, Markowitsch HJ (2005) Decision-making impairments in patients with pathological gambling. Psychiatry Res 133:91–99

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Breyer JL, Botzet AM, Winters KC, Stinchfield RD, August G, Realmuto G (2009) Young adult gambling behaviors and their relationship with the persistence of ADHD. J Gambl Stud 25:227–238

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Clark L (2014) Disordered gambling: the evolving concept of behavioral addiction. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1327:46–61

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Davtian M, Reid RC, Fong TW (2012) Investigating facets of personality in adult pathological gamblers with ADHD. Neuropsychiatry 2:163–174

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Dowling NA, Cowlishaw S, Jackson AC, Merkouris SS, Francis KL, Christensen DR (2015) Prevalence of psychiatric co-morbidity in treatment-seeking problem gamblers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 49:519–539

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Goudriaan AE, Oosterlaan J, de Beurs E, Van den Brink W (2004) Pathological gambling: a comprehensive review of biobehavioural findings. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 28:123–141

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grall-Bronnec M, Wainstein L, Augy J, Bouju G, Feuillet F, Vénisse JL, Sébille-Rivain V (2011) Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among pathological and at-risk gamblers seeking treatment: a hidden disorder. Eur Addict Res 17:231–240

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Janca A, Hiller W (1996) ICD-10 checklists—a tool for clinicians’ use of the ICD-10 classification of mental and behavioral disorders. Compr Psychiatry 37:180–187

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jerome L, Habinski L, Segal A (2006) Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and driving risk: a review of the literature and a methodological critique. Curr Psychiatry Rep 8:416–426

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler RC, Adler L, Barkley R, Biederman J, Conners CK, Demler O, Faraone SV, Greenhill LL, Howes MJ, Secnik K, Spencer T, Ustun TB, Walters EE, Zaslavsky AM (2006) The prevalence and correlates of adult ADHD in the United States: results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Am J Psychiatry 163:716–723

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lorains FK, Cowlishaw S, Thomas SA (2011) Prevalence of comorbid disorders in problem and pathological gambling: systematic review and meta-analysis of population surveys. Addiction 106:490–498

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Man KK, Chan EW, Coghill D, Douglas I, Ip P, Leung LP, Tsui MS, Wong WH, Wong IC (2015) Methylphenidate and the risk of trauma. Pediatrics 135:40–48

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mannuzza S, Klein RG, Moulton JL 3rd (2008) Lifetime criminality among boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a prospective follow-up study into adulthood using official arrest records. Psychiatry Res 160:237–246

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Martins SS, Tavares H, da Silva Lobo DS, Galetti AM, Gentil V (2004) Pathological gambling, gender, and risk-taking behaviors. Addict Behav 29:1231–1235

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ozga D, Brown J (2002) Pathological gambling. Identification and treatment. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv 40:22–30

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Polanczyk G, deLima MS, Horta BL, Biederman J, Rohde LA (2007) The world-wide prevalence of ADHD: a systematic review and metaregression analysis. Am J Psychiatry 164:942–948

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Potenza MN (2013) Neurobiology of gambling behaviors. Curr Opin Neurobiol 23:660–667

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Potenza MN, Leung HC, Blumberg HP, Peterson BS, Fulbright RK, Lacadie CM, Skudlarski P, Gore JC (2003) An fMRI Stroop task study of ventromedial prefrontal cortical function in pathological gamblers. Am J Psychiatry 160:1990–1994

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Retz W, Rösler M (2009) The relation of ADHD and violent aggression: what can we learn from epidemiological and genetic studies? Int J Law Psychiatry 32:235–243

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Retz W, Stieglitz RD, Corbisiero S, Retz-Junginger P, Rösler M (2012) Emotional dysregulation in adult ADHD: What is the empirical evidence? Expert Rev Neurother 12:1241–1251

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Retz W, Retz-Junginger P, Römer K, Rösler M (2013) Standardised psychopathological rating scales for the diagnosis of ADHD in adults. Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr 81:381–389

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Retz-Junginger P, Retz W, Blocher D, Weijers HG, Trott GE, Wender PH, Rössler M (2002) Wender Utah rating scale. The short-version for the assessment of the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults. Nervenarzt 73:830–838

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Retz-Junginger P, Retz W, Blocher D, Stieglitz RD, Georg T, Supprian T, Wender PH, Rösler M (2003) Reliability and validity of the Wender-Utah-Rating-Scale short form. Retrospective assessment of symptoms for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Nervenarzt 74:987–993

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rösler M, Retz W (2006) Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults. General basics, epidemiology, psychopathology, classification, course, neurobiology and social adaptation. ZPPP 54:77–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Rösler M, Retz W, Thome J, Schneider M, Stieglitz RD, Falkai P (2006) Psychopathological rating scales for diagnostic use in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 256(Suppl 1):i3–11

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rösler M, Retz-Junginger P, Retz W, Stieglitz RD (2008) HASE—Homburger ADHS-Skalen für Erwachsene. Hogrefe, Göttingen

    Google Scholar 

  • Rugle L, Melamed L (1993) Neuropsychological assessment of attention problems in pathological gamblers. J Nerv Ment Dis 181:107–112

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw M, Hodgkins P, Caci H, Young S, Kahle J, Woods AG, Arnold LE (2012) A systematic review and analysis of long-term outcomes in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: effects of treatment and non-treatment. BMC Med 10:99

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Simon V, Czobor P, Balint S, Meszaros A, Bitter I (2009) Prevalence and correlates of adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: meta-analysis. Br J Psychiatry 194:204–211

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sobanski E (2006) Psychiatric comorbidity in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 256(Suppl 1):i26–i31

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Specker SM, Carlson GA, Christenson GA, Marcotte M (1995) Impulse control disorders and attention deficit disorder in pathological gamblers. Ann Clin Psychiatry 7:175–179

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Taurines R, Schmitt J, Renner T, Conner AC, Warnke A, Romanos M (2010) Developmental comorbidity in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Atten Defic Hyperact Disord 2:267–289

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vaa T (2014) ADHD and relative risk of accidents in road traffic: a meta-analysis. Accid Anal Prev 62:415–425

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Valleur M, Codina I, Vénisse JL, Romo L, Magalon D, Fatséas M, Chéreau-Boudet I, Gorsane MA, Guilleux A, Groupe JEU, Grall-Bronnec M, Challet-Bouju G (2016) Towards a Validation of the Three Pathways Model of Pathological Gambling. J Gambl Stud. 32:757–771

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Waluk OR, Youssef GJ, Dowling NA (2016) The relationship between problem gambling and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. J Gambl Stud. 32:591–604

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wender PH (1995) Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Straße 8, 55131, Mainz, Germany

    Wolfgang Retz

  2. AHG Klinik Münchwies, Zentrum für Psychosomatische Medizin, Psychotherapie und Suchtmedizin, Neunkirchen, Germany

    Jutta Ringling & Monika Vogelgesang

  3. Neurocentre, Institute for Forensic Psychology and Psychiatry, Saarland University Hospital, Homburg/Saar, Germany

    Petra Retz-Junginger & Michael Rösler

  4. Practice for Psychotherapy, Ottweiler, Germany

    Jutta Ringling

Authors
  1. Wolfgang Retz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jutta Ringling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Petra Retz-Junginger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Monika Vogelgesang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Michael Rösler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wolfgang Retz.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Retz, W., Ringling, J., Retz-Junginger, P. et al. Association of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with gambling disorder. J Neural Transm 123, 1013–1019 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-016-1566-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-016-1566-x

Keywords

  • ADHD
  • Gambling disorder
  • Prevalence
  • Co-morbidity