Gambling addiction is diagnosed more often in men than in women – scientists have paid attention to this fact, and decided to find out why this happens. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, scientists have found differences in the brains of men and women who are addicted to gambling. The researchers presented their data at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).The use of the Internet is an integral part of the daily life of many young people, and the loss of control over it can lead to various negative consequences, for example, the user may become addicted to online gambling. The researchers recruited a group of 32 men and 23 women who were addicted gamblers, and a group of 30 men and 20 women who were not. All 105 participants were checked for MRI, which showed that no obvious changes in the brain were observed in addicted women. But the brain of men showed different results. In particular, they had lower brain activity in the anterior frontal gyrus, as well as in an area of the prefrontal lobe of the brain that is important for impulse control: Changes in the brain recorded in the new study may indicate risk factors. And further study will help scientists find new ways to identify the mechanisms that cause men to become addicted to gambling. However, the scientists also stated that with only 105 participants, it is difficult for them to draw any definite conclusions: We assume that men are more receptive to gambling compared to women. But more research is needed to substantiate this opinion, and this may not be an easy task. Gambling addiction was recognized as a disease and included in the 11th International Classification of Diseases by the World Health Organization for the first time in June 2018. Let us recall that the Latvian public organization Esi brīvs, together with the crisis resolution center Skalbes, has opened a helpline in Latvia for people who are addicted to gambling.
