Executive Function in Problem Gamblers with and without History of Depression

Abstract

Executive function deficits are well-documented in gambling disorder as well as major depressive disorder. The literature also demonstrates that these clinical problems are highly comorbid. Despite the high rates of comorbidity and the transdiagnostic nature of executive function deficits, few studies have explored executive function in gamblers with a history of depression. As a preliminary investigation, the current work characterized executive function in a sample of problem gamblers with a history of depression (N = 19), problem gamblers without a history of depression (N = 19), and healthy controls (N = 40). Consistent with predictions, both gambler groups showed deficits in planning relative to controls. However, contrary to predictions, gamblers with a history of depression performed better than gamblers without a history of depression on a measure of cognitive flexibility. Results reveal that examining differences in executive function among different subtypes of problem gamblers may be a promising area for future study.