As gambling becomes more prevalent in our society, pathological gambling is growing as a serious problem. Although more and more individuals search for help only relatively few scientific studies exist at present.
The research group Pathological Gambling is part of the Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine (Head: Prof. Dr. med. Karl F. Mann). The main focus of the research group is to investigate the central mechanisms that play a role in the development and persistence of problematic and pathological gambling. The main goal is to identify protective as well as risk factors which are relevant for the development of pathological gambling. Early identification of problem gambling allows counteracting the causes and negative consequences of gambling through early interventional approaches thereby increasing therapeutic success rates.
We follow a multimodal methodological approach which allows us to assess the interplay between genetic (Genome-wide association studies) physiological (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and psychological factors (questionnaires, interviews) using up-to-date, well-established procedures.
Another research focus is the development of valid tasks to assess relevant aspects of gambling such as motivation and decision making with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The main aim of our research is to develop integrative explanation models of pathological gambling. These models should help to reduce the relapse risk and to support abstinence by improving and assuring quality of existing therapeutic approaches.
We realize our projects in close cooperation with the Clinic und Policlinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz (K. Wölfling), the Treatment Centre Münzesheim (Dr. M. Beutel, A. Lindner) and the AHG Clinc Münchswies (Dr. M. Vogelgesang, Dr. T. Klein). The genetic analyses are conducted in cooperation with the Department Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry at the Central Institute of Mental Health, headed by Prof. Dr. med. Marcella Rietschel.
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