The Role of ADHD Symptomatology and Emotion Dysregulation in Gambling Disorder

Objectives: Although emotion regulation deficits have been implicated in gambling disorder and ADHD, the interplay between these factors has yet to be systematically studied. We examined relationships between ADHD symptoms, emotion regulation, and gambling disorder severity in a sample of treatment-seeking gambling disorder patients (n = 98). We also examined clinical differences between patients with and without ADHD symptomatology. Method: Structural equation modeling (SEM) evaluated direct and indirect effects of ADHD and emotion regulation on gambling disorder severity. Results: Significant correlations between ADHD symptomatology and emotion regulation and between emotion regulation and gambling disorder severity were identified. Differences in emotion regulation were found between gambling disorder patients with and without ADHD symptomatology. Path analysis revealed emotion regulation to be a mediator between ADHD and gambling disorder. Conclusion: Our findings indicate the presence of ADHD symptomatology to be associated with greater severity of gambling disorder and greater emotional dysregulation.

Impulsivity and cognitive distortions in different clinical phenotypes of gambling disorder: Profiles and longitudinal prediction of treatment outcomes

BACKGROUND

Impulsivity and cognitive distortions are hallmarks of gambling disorder (GD) but it remains unclear how they contribute to clinical phenotypes. This study aimed to (1) compare impulsive traits and gambling-related distortions in strategic versus non-strategic gamblers and online versus offline gamblers; (2) examine the longitudinal association between impulsivity/cognitive distortions and treatment retention and relapse.

METHODS

Participants seeking treatment for GD (n = 245) were assessed for gambling modality (clinical interview), impulsive traits (Urgency, Premeditation, Perseverance and Sensation Seeking [UPPS] scale) and cognitive distortions (Gambling Related Cognitions Scale) at treatment onset, and for retention and relapse (as indicated by the clinical team) at the end of treatment. Treatment consisted of 12-week standardized cognitive behavioral therapy, conducted in a public specialized clinic within a general public hospital.

RESULTS

Strategic gamblers had higher lack of perseverance and gambling-related expectancies and illusion of control than non-strategic gamblers, and online gamblers had generally higher distortions but similar impulsivity to offline gamblers. Lack of perseverance predicted treatment dropout, whereas negative urgency and distortions of inability to stop gambling and interpretative bias predicted number of relapses during treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with online and strategic GD phenotypes have heightened gambling related biases associated with premature treatment cessation and relapse. Findings suggest that these GD phenotypes may need tailored treatment approaches to reduce specific distortions and impulsive facets.

Associations of food addiction and nonsuicidal self-injury among women with an eating disorder: A common strategy for regulating emotions?

OBJECTIVE

We examined the association between lifetime nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), emotion regulation, and food addiction (FA) in women (n = 220) with eating disorders (ED) compared with (n = 121) healthy controls (HC).

METHOD

Participants were assessed via face-to-face interviews for ED diagnosis and lifetime NSSI. FA was assessed with Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 and emotion regulation using the Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS).

RESULTS

The prevalence of FA was significantly higher among women with an ED when compared with HC (75.9% vs. 4.1%, p < 0.001). Similarly, subjects presenting FA showed a high prevalence of lifetime NSSI, in both ED and HC (40.7% and 60.0%, respectively). Our predictive model revealed FA and DERS total scores as indicators of the presence of lifetime NSSI independent of group assignment, ED diagnosis, and age.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest a shared aetiology between ED, NSSI, and FA, explained possibly in part by emotion-regulation deficits.

Gambling and Impulsivity Traits: A Recipe for Criminal Behavior?

Gambling disorder (GD) is a psychiatric condition that was recently recategorized as a non-substance-related addiction in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders. Criminal activity is commonly associated with gambling; however, few empirical studies to date have examined sociodemographic and psychological variables in this population. In this study, we explored criminal behavior history in a sample of consecutively recruited treatment-seeking gamblers (n = 382) and compared subjects with a history of illegal acts (n = 103, 26.9%) to those with no criminal record (n = 279, 73.1%). Impulsivity and personality traits were specifically explored, along with other gambling-related severity factors. We found that gamblers who engaged in illegal activity were more likely to endorse high levels of urgency (i.e., the tendency to act out when experiencing heightened emotional states) and increased lack of premeditation. Gamblers with a history of criminal behavior also had greater GD severity levels and gambling-related debts. Additionally, these gamblers reported lower levels of self-directedness, which is characterized by difficulty in establishing and redirecting behavior toward one's goals. Likewise, gamblers who had conducted criminal acts showed a tendency to engage in greater risk-taking behavior. These results shed new light on this understudied population and provide insights for developing targeted harm-prevention interventions and treatment protocols.

Ultra-rapid and low-cost fabrication of centrifugal microfluidic platforms with active mechanical valves

Fabrication of microfluidic discs with mechanical active valves by a cutter plotter.

Congenital melanocytic nevus: two clinicopathological forms

Congenital melanocytic nevus (CMN) is a hamartomatous disease for which many attempts at classification have been proposed. This disease is relevant not only because of its functional and esthetic implications but also because it is a well-documented precursor to malignant melanoma. We performed a clinical and pathological prospective study of 200 cases of CMN and were able to identify 2 different forms of CMN, each one with biological, clinical, and histopathological features and criteria that are consistent and repeatable. We propose to name them types I and II. Type I CMN is the most common, usually, if not always, a single lesion, it consists of a plaque that involves only 1 anatomic region and does not go beyond it; type I CNM grows in proportion to the growth of the child, melanoma rarely develops from it, and when it does it usually arises at the dermoepidermal junction. Its histopathology shows cords, strands, nests, and single units of melanocytes spreading between collagen bundles only in the dermis and frequently the epidermis too, but without trespassing to the hypodermis, that is, it is superficial. Type II CMN is always made up of many lesions, one of them being very large and surrounded by many lesions; histopathologically, it involves not only the skin but also deeper structures, sometimes bone and central nervous system; therefore, it is deep; when melanoma develops, it does in the dermal component and usually from the largest plaque. This type of CMN is the one that develops neurocutaneous melanocytosis. This system is not only easy and logical but it also has biologic advantages and the clinical-pathological correlation and criteria are repeatable by clinicians and pathologists.

[Study on the venoms of the principal venomous snakes from French Guiana and the neutralization]

We studied some biochemical, toxic and immunological characteristics of the venoms of Bothrops atrox, Bothrops brazili and Lachesis muta, Viperidae responsible for most of the bites of venomous snakes in French Guiana. Chromatographic (HPLC) and electrophoretical profiles (SDS-PAGE), lethal, hemorrhagic, defibrinogenating, coagulant, thrombin like, proteolytic, fibrino(geno)lytic and phospholipase activities were studied. In addition, the neutralization of some toxic activities conferred by four antivenins was compared. The chromatographic and electrophoretic profiles were different for the three venoms, showing differences between Bothrops and L. muta venoms. In general, bothropic venoms showed the highest toxic and enzymatic activities, while the venom of L. muta showed the lowest lethal, hemorrhagic and coagulant activities. The enzymes of bothropic venoms responsible for gelatinolytic activity were around 50-90 kDa. All the venoms were able to hydrolyze a and beta chains of the fibrinogen, showing different patterns of degradation. Although all the antivenoms tested were effective to various degrees in neutralizing the venom of B. brazili and B. atrox, neutralization of L. muta venom was significantly better achieved using the antivenom including this venom in its immunogenic mixture. For the neutralization of L. muta venom, homologous or polyvalent antivenoms that include the "bushmaster" venom in their immunogenic mixture should be preferred.

Worldwide distribution of blood lipids and lipoproteins in childhood and adolescence: a review study

Review and pooled analysis of the relevant worldwide literature was investigated from 1975 to 1996. Eighteen surveys out of 54 were suitable for analysis according to the selection criteria. This represents a total of 60494 observations from 26 countries all over the world. Data suggests differences as great as 76 mg/dl when comparing northern European countries to black African children. The overall curve of cholesterol with age observed in the pooled population indicates a pre-adolescent peak and then a slightly inverse change is observed for both boys and girls, from 3 to 12 years old being almost coincident absolute values. Beyond age 12, values for boys continue to slightly decrease to age 16, while for girls values tend to increase through this age-range. The curve in the late teens (16-18 years) tends to reach pre-teen levels for both sexes, although girls have consistently higher absolute values than boys. There is a great variation in the specific age-sex and race levels of cholesterol among different populations or even in the same populations over a period of time. However, an apparently universal pattern of an early rise, a fall, and a subsequent rise in mean values of total cholesterol by age from the preadolescence to late teens is observed. More data are needed on total cholesterol and lipid fractions between late school age and mid-adulthood.

Salivary testosterone levels in infertile men

Salivary testosterone levels were measured in 18 normal men, 29 oligospermic and six azoospermic subjects, using a specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay (RIA). There was a significant reduction (P less than 0.001) in salivary testosterone levels in the group of oligospermic (0.266 +/- 0.086 nmol/l) and azoospermic (0.234 +/- 0.055 nmol/l) subjects when compared with controls (0.348 +/- 0.070 nmol/l). A good correlation was found between salivary and plasma testosterone levels in normal (r = 0.62, P less than 0.01) and infertile men (r = 0.58, P less than 0.01). This study demonstrates that salivary testosterone levels, a non-invasive means of sample collection, may be used for evaluation of androgen status in male infertility.