Social Psychiatry, Vol. 53 No. 2, 2025.
Review article
https://doi.org/10.24869/spsih.2025.146
Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Methods in the Treatment of Gambling Disorder: A Narrative Review
Karla Laškarin
; Klinika za psihijatriju Sveti Ivan, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Igor Filipčić
; Klinika za psihijatriju Sveti Ivan, Zagreb, Hrvatska; Fakultet za dentalnu medicinu i zdravstvo Osijek, Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska; Medicinski fakultet, Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska; Zdravstveno veleučilište Zagreb, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
Gambling disorder is increasingly viewed within the context of behavioral addictions due to its clinical and
neurobiological similarities with substance use disorders. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) methods, such as
repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), and transcranial direct
current stimulation (tDCS), are being explored as potential therapeutic options. This narrative review aims to present the
existing literature on the application of NIBS in the treatment of gambling disorder and to analyze its effects on craving,
impulsive behavior, cognitive functions, and other secondary outcomes. A PubMed database search was conducted in
October 2024. Thirteen studies of various designs were included, examining the use of NIBS in individuals with gambling
disorder or in healthy participants performing gambling-related tasks. The most commonly used method was rTMS over
the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), with most studies reporting a reduction in gambling craving. Effects on
behavior and functional outcomes were less consistent. Secondary outcomes, such as the effects on depressive symptoms,
anxiety, impulsive behavior, and sleep quality, were reported in only a subset of studies. Although preliminary, the findings
suggest that NIBS may have therapeutic value in the treatment of gambling disorder. The available evidence remains
limited due to small sample sizes, short follow-up durations, and heterogeneous protocols.
Keywords
Gambling; Noninvasive Brain Stimulation; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Craving; Impulsive Behavior
Hrčak ID:
334904
URI
Publication date:
25.8.2025.
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