AIMS: Multiple forms of drug abuse/dependence frequently co-occur with problem/pathological gambling (PPG). The current study examines the extent to which genetic and environmental factors contribute to their co-occurrence. DESIGN: Bivariate models investigated the magnitude and correlation of genetic and environmental contributions to problem/pathological gambling and its co-occurrence with nicotine dependence, cannabis abuse/dependence and stimulant abuse/dependence. SETTING: Computer-assisted telephone interviews in the community. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 7869 male twins in the Vietnam Era Twin Registry, a USA-based national twin registry. MEASUREMENTS: Life-time DSM-III-R diagnoses for problem/pathological gambling, nicotine dependence, cannabis abuse/dependence and stimulant abuse/dependence were determined using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. FINDINGS: All drug-use disorders displayed additive genetic and non-shared environmental contributions, with cannabis abuse/dependence also displaying shared environmental contributions. Both genetic [genetic correlation rA = 0.22; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.10-0.34] and non-shared environmental components (environmental correlation rE = 0.24; 95% CI = 0.10-0.37) contributed to the co-occurrence of problem/pathological gambling and nicotine dependence. This pattern was shared by cannabis abuse/dependence (rA = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.05-1.0; rE = 0.36; 95% CI = 0.16-0.55) but not stimulant abuse/dependence (SAD), which showed only genetic contributions to the co-occurrence with problem/pathological gambling (rA = 0.58; 95% CI = 0.45-0.73). CONCLUSIONS: Strong links between gambling and stimulant-use disorders may relate to the neurochemical properties of stimulants or the illicit nature of using 'hard' drugs such as cocaine. The greater contribution of environmental factors to the co-occurrence between problem/pathological gambling and 'softer' forms of drug abuse/dependence (cannabis, tobacco) suggest that environmental interventions (perhaps relating to availability and legality) may help to diminish the relationship between problem/pathological gambling and tobacco- and cannabis-use disorders.
AIMS: Multiple forms of drug abuse/dependence frequently co-occur with problem/pathological gambling (PPG). The current study examines the extent to which genetic and environmental factors contribute to their co-occurrence. DESIGN: Bivariate models investigated the magnitude and correlation of genetic and environmental contributions to problem/pathological gambling and its co-occurrence with nicotine dependence, cannabis abuse/dependence and stimulant abuse/dependence. SETTING: Computer-assisted telephone interviews in the community. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 7869 male twins in the Vietnam Era Twin Registry, a USA-based national twin registry. MEASUREMENTS: Life-time DSM-III-R diagnoses for problem/pathological gambling, nicotine dependence, cannabis abuse/dependence and stimulant abuse/dependence were determined using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. FINDINGS: All drug-use disorders displayed additive genetic and non-shared environmental contributions, with cannabis abuse/dependence also displaying shared environmental contributions. Both genetic [genetic correlation rA = 0.22; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.10-0.34] and non-shared environmental components (environmental correlation rE = 0.24; 95% CI = 0.10-0.37) contributed to the co-occurrence of problem/pathological gambling and nicotine dependence. This pattern was shared by cannabis abuse/dependence (rA = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.05-1.0; rE = 0.36; 95% CI = 0.16-0.55) but not stimulant abuse/dependence (SAD), which showed only genetic contributions to the co-occurrence with problem/pathological gambling (rA = 0.58; 95% CI = 0.45-0.73). CONCLUSIONS: Strong links between gambling and stimulant-use disorders may relate to the neurochemical properties of stimulants or the illicit nature of using 'hard' drugs such as cocaine. The greater contribution of environmental factors to the co-occurrence between problem/pathological gambling and 'softer' forms of drug abuse/dependence (cannabis, tobacco) suggest that environmental interventions (perhaps relating to availability and legality) may help to diminish the relationship between problem/pathological gambling and tobacco- and cannabis-use disorders.
Authors: Hong Xian; Jeffrey F Scherrer; Wendy S Slutske; Kamini R Shah; Rachel Volberg; Seth A Eisen Journal: Twin Res Hum Genet Date: 2007-02 Impact factor: 1.587
Authors: Hong Xian; Jeffrey F Scherrer; Seth A Eisen; Michael J Lyons; Ming Tsuang; William R True; Kathleen K Bucholz Journal: Addict Behav Date: 2006-05-02 Impact factor: 3.913
Authors: Ardeshir S Rahman; Corey E Pilver; Rani A Desai; Marvin A Steinberg; Loreen Rugle; Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin; Marc N Potenza Journal: J Psychiatr Res Date: 2012-03-10 Impact factor: 4.791
Authors: Hedy Kober; Cheryl M Lacadie; Bruce E Wexler; Robert T Malison; Rajita Sinha; Marc N Potenza Journal: Neuropsychopharmacology Date: 2015-06-29 Impact factor: 7.853
Authors: Christopher J Hammond; Steven D Shirk; Dawn W Foster; Nicolas B Potenza; Shane W Kraus; Linda C Mayes; Rani A Hoff; Marc N Potenza Journal: Psychol Addict Behav Date: 2019-06-27