NEWS

Odds on serotonin regulating gambling impulses
Catharine Winstanley and colleagues have devised a gambling task for rats that provides a better means of studying the neural and chemical processes underlying gambling. During the task, the rats were able to choose from four options that differed in the probability and magnitude of food rewards and timeouts. Rats learned how to be successful gamblers, selecting the option with the optimum level of risk and reward. However, when the rats were treated with drugs that affected the levels of dopamine and serotonin, their gambling performance became significantly impaired. The findings suggest a role for these neurochemicals in moderating gambling behaviour and a potential method of researching new leads for the treatment of gambling disorders. Read the press release and article for free to find out more.

Enzyme regulator of attention provides insights into ADHD
Scientists have discovered the key role protein kinase A (PKA) plays in regulating attention and hyperactivity in rats. The research could help in the development of new medications for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. After disrupting the function of PKA in the prefrontal cortex, rats became hyperactive and were unable to pay attention to hints about how to obtain food. Genetic disruption of a protein which PKA regulates also produced inattention, identifying a pathway within the nerve cells of the prefrontal cortex that might be sluggish in individuals with attention disorders. Read the press release and article for free to learn more.

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Advanced Online Publication available with Neuropsychopharmacology. Articles are published online on a weekly basis prior to publication in the print issue of the Journal.