Problem gambling is also presumed to be mediated by mesolimbic dopamine. To date, the evidence implicating dopamine in problem gambling has been correlational. The primary role of the present research is to test the role of dopaminergic activation in problem gamblers and in alcoholics using an experimental design. In recent years, methodologies have been developed in cognitive science to assess automatic activation of semantic nodes' or concepts of overriding concern to a particular individual or population. These methodologies have been applied to the assessment of addiction-related cognitions.
Research shows that dopaminergic activation augments responses to salient stimuli.
However, the effects of dopaminergic activation on addiction-related cognitions have yet to be investigated. If this procedure is successful, it will demonstrate a critical role of dopaminergic activation on pathological thought processes in problem gamblers. A parallel effect of amphetamine in alcoholics would show that dopaminergic activation plays a similar role in problem gambling and in chemical addictions.