Study shows Nerve Cells that may control Gambling Urges

Researchers have long sought to uncover what lies beneath gambling addiction. And a team at Stanford University may have moved even closer to solving the problem after identifying nerve cells that control risk-taking behavior.

What the team found was a small patch of neural circuitry, connecting the brain’s nucleus accumbens region, that secretes dopamine, or the neurotransmitter that plays a big role in pleasure, attention and memory. This neural circuitry can deliver two different types of dopamine receptors: one for playing it safe, and one that causes risky behavior.

Karl Deisseroth, a psychiatrist and bioengineer at Stanford, told The Guardian that his team’s findings translate well over to human risk-taking behavior.

“Humans and rats have similar brain structures involved,” said Deisseroth. “And we have found that a drug known to increase risk preference in people had the same effect on rats. So every indication is that these findings are relevant to humans.”

The study was set up by giving rats two levers to choose from: one that delivered a consistent dose of sugary water, and another that offered either a small or large quantity. A thin optical fiber was placed on the nucleus accumbens area to monitor receptors cells and stimulate them to link brain activity with behavior.

Two-thirds of the rats chose the consistent amount while one-third chose the “casino lever” that delivered an inconsistent amount. The latter group consistently chose to gamble on how much sugar water they’d receive, while the two-thirds majority only occasionally pulled the casino lever.

One very interesting finding here is that the researchers used laser light pulses to fire up the conservative system and temporarily change the risk-taking behavior.

On the other hand, the researchers also found that a drug called pramipexole, sent straight to the nucleus accumbens region, could change conservative rats into gamblers. Not surprisingly, pramipexole, which is used to treat Parkinson’s disease, has also been known to cause gambling behavior in humans.

Everything from birds and insects to bankers and gamblers have shown risk-taking behavior, leading to the science of neuroeconomics. Sometimes taking risks is important for survival in many species. However, scientists have still not figured out what leads some mammals/insects to take more risks than others.

“Risky behavior has its moments where it’s valuable,” said Professor Deisseroth. “As a species, we wouldn’t have come as far as we have without it.”