Clinical Trial: Impulsivity in Pathological Gambling
Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Observational
Official Title: Impulsivity in Pathological Gambling: A Cross Sectional Analysis on Tests of Impulsivity Between Pathological Gamblers and a Non-pathological
Brief Summary:
The purpose of the this study is to compare pathological gamblers versus non-pathological gamblers using tests that measure different components of impulsivity. We aim to invite a total of 120 individuals to participate in this study.
Impulsivity has been described as the cognitive inability to delay gratification, a failure to inhibit behavioral action or acting without forethought about consequences. Impulsivity has also been seen as a personality trait characterized by risk-taking or sensation seeking behavior. Pathological gamblers demonstrate aspects of impulsivity; they act without thinking, have difficult inhibiting urges to gamble and desire immediate gratification. The goal of this project is to clarify which components of impulsivity are associated with pathological gambling. Non-treatment seeking, pathological gamblers and controls will be recruited from the community and local casinos. Each participant will be administered a battery of tests that represent different operational definitions of impulsivity.
Detailed Summary: Personality traits of impulsivity will be measured with the Barrett Impulsiveness Scale and the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised. Behavioral components of impulsivity will be tested through delay and probability discounting tasks. Finally, measures of frontotemporal functioning are also included in a neuropsychology and neurocognitive battery. Recent studies have shown that these areas of the brain function differently in pathological gamblers; thus, the following neuropsychology/neurocognitive tests have been included: Attention/Information Processing Speed (via Simple Reaction Time Task and Continuous Performance Task), Episodic Memory (via Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test), Executive/Frontal Lobe Measures (via Wechsler Memory Scale-III, Choice Reaction Time Task, Working Memory Task (N-back), Probabilistic Reversal Learning Task, and Stop-Signal Task). Between group comparisons on this battery of impulsivity tests will be made to clarify which components of impulsivity are associated with pathological gambling. Secondly, within-group analyses will be performed to correlate impulsivity to gambling severity. Lastly, an exploratory analysis of subtyping pathological gamblers by performances on tasks of impulsivity and types of gambling will be conducted.
Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles
Current Primary Outcome: Barratt Impusivity Scale [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
Original Primary Outcome:
Current Secondary Outcome:
Original Secondary Outcome:
Information By: University of California, Los Angeles
Dates:
Date Received: December 20, 2007
Date Started: March 2007
Date Completion:
Last Updated: June 3, 2013
Last Verified: June 2013
