Cue-reactive altered State of consciousness mediates the relationship between problem-gambling severity and cue-reactive urge in poker-machine Gamblers
Journal of Gambling Studies June 1, 2016
Among a community sample of 37 poker-machine gamblers, those with more severe gambling problems showed larger increases in both urge to gamble and altered state of consciousness after being exposed to a gambling-related cue compared with a neutral cue. The increase in altered state of consciousness partially explained the link between problem-gambling severity and increased urge. The findings suggest that a cue-induced shift in conscious experience is an important part of the urge to gamble in problem gamblers.