TY - JOUR
T1 - Anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol baseline plasma concentrations and their clinical correlate in gambling disorder
AU - Baenas, Isabel
AU - Solé-Morata, Neus
AU - Granero, Roser
AU - Fernández-Aranda, Fernando
AU - Pujadas, Mitona
AU - Mora-Maltas, Bernat
AU - Lucas, Ignacio
AU - Gómez-Peña, Mónica
AU - Moragas, Laura
AU - Del Pino-Gutiérrez, Amparo
AU - Tapia, Javier
AU - De La Torre, Rafael
AU - Potenza, Marc N.
AU - Jiménez-Murcia, Susana
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association.
PY - 2023/11/8
Y1 - 2023/11/8
N2 - Introduction Different components of the endocannabinoid (eCB) system such as their most well-known endogenous ligands, anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), have been implicated in brain reward pathways. While shared neurobiological substrates have been described among addiction-related disorders, information regarding the role of this system in behavioral addictions such as gambling disorder (GD) is scarce. Aims Fasting plasma concentrations of AEA and 2-AG were analyzed in individuals with GD at baseline, compared with healthy control subjects (HC). Through structural equation modeling, we evaluated associations between endocannabinoids and GD severity, exploring the potentially mediating role of clinical and neuropsychological variables. Methods The sample included 166 adult outpatients with GD (95.8% male, mean age 39 years old) and 41 HC. Peripheral blood samples were collected after overnight fasting to assess AEA and 2-AG concentrations (ng/ml). Clinical (i.e., general psychopathology, emotion regulation, impulsivity, personality) and neuropsychological variables were evaluated through a semi-structured clinical interview and psychometric assessments. Results Plasma AEA concentrations were higher in patients with GD compared with HC (p = .002), without differences in 2-AG. AEA and 2-AG concentrations were related to GD severity, with novelty-seeking mediating relationships. Conclusions This study points to differences in fasting plasma concentrations of endocannabinoids between individuals with GD and HC. In the clinical group, the pathway defined by the association between the concentrations of endocannabinoids and novelty-seeking predicted GD severity. Although exploratory, these results could contribute to the identification of potential endophenotypic features that help optimize personalized approaches to prevent and treat GD.
AB - Introduction Different components of the endocannabinoid (eCB) system such as their most well-known endogenous ligands, anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), have been implicated in brain reward pathways. While shared neurobiological substrates have been described among addiction-related disorders, information regarding the role of this system in behavioral addictions such as gambling disorder (GD) is scarce. Aims Fasting plasma concentrations of AEA and 2-AG were analyzed in individuals with GD at baseline, compared with healthy control subjects (HC). Through structural equation modeling, we evaluated associations between endocannabinoids and GD severity, exploring the potentially mediating role of clinical and neuropsychological variables. Methods The sample included 166 adult outpatients with GD (95.8% male, mean age 39 years old) and 41 HC. Peripheral blood samples were collected after overnight fasting to assess AEA and 2-AG concentrations (ng/ml). Clinical (i.e., general psychopathology, emotion regulation, impulsivity, personality) and neuropsychological variables were evaluated through a semi-structured clinical interview and psychometric assessments. Results Plasma AEA concentrations were higher in patients with GD compared with HC (p = .002), without differences in 2-AG. AEA and 2-AG concentrations were related to GD severity, with novelty-seeking mediating relationships. Conclusions This study points to differences in fasting plasma concentrations of endocannabinoids between individuals with GD and HC. In the clinical group, the pathway defined by the association between the concentrations of endocannabinoids and novelty-seeking predicted GD severity. Although exploratory, these results could contribute to the identification of potential endophenotypic features that help optimize personalized approaches to prevent and treat GD.
KW - 2-arachidonoylglycerol
KW - addictive behaviors
KW - anandamide
KW - gambling disorder
KW - impulsive behaviors
UR - https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=uab_pure&SrcAuth=WosAPI&KeyUT=WOS:001125728800001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=WOS
U2 - 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.2460
DO - 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.2460
M3 - Article
C2 - 37937379
AN - SCOPUS:85176354247
SN - 0924-9338
VL - 66
JO - European Psychiatry
JF - European Psychiatry
IS - 1
M1 - e97
ER -