Impulsivity-compulsivity axis in the abuse of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) from the perspective of the Research Domain Criteria Project (RDoC)

The habit formation model to explain addiction involves the transition from an initial phase in which the prefrontal cortex ceases to control the behavior, to a phase in which control is transferred to the dorsal striatum, progressing towards compulsive consumption. This model, widely supported by empirical evidence, implies that each subject is at a certain point in the impulsivity-compulsivity continuum. Using two questionnaires recommended within the framework of the Research Domain Criteria Project which measure impulsivity and compulsivity, an attempt was made to confirm the existence of such a bipolar axis, applied to the abuse of information and communication technologies (ICT). The results of this study provide empirical support for the existence of this axis. The abuse of ICT seems to have many more compulsive components than impulsive ones, except in the case of video games, which are little related to both concepts. These results have important clinical implications since there are very different therapeutic approaches for impulsivity and compulsive behavior.

Addiction, Intoxicants, and the Humoral Body

Taking the humoral body as its spatial focus, this article considers how medical writers and practitioners engaged with ‘intoxicants’ both in terms of the prescription of medicines and in the conceptualization of compulsive consumption – or what is often styled by modern practitioners as ‘addiction’. Focusing in the first instance on the compilers of vernacular pharmacopoeia – compilations of medical ingredients and techniques – the article argues that just as sugar, tobacco, and especially opiates had a significant and possibly transformative role in everyday physic, so the ‘operation’ of opiates, distilled spirits, and tobacco was crucial in stimulating new thinking about how bodies became substance-dependent. The article also argues, however, that, in order to conceptualize the problem, writers turned to the venerable language of custom rather than the relatively new language of addiction – in particular, the ancient idea of custom as ‘second nature’.

Targeting Epigenetic Mechanisms to Treat Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD).

Background: The impact of abusive alcohol consumption on human health is remarkable. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 3.3 million people die annually because of harmful alcohol consumption (the figure represents around 5.9% of global deaths). Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a chronic disease where individuals exhibit compulsive alcohol drinking and present negative emotional states when they do not drink. In the most severe manifestations of AUD, the individuals lose control over intake despite a decided will to stop drinking. Given the multiple faces and the specific forms of this disease, the term AUD often appears in the plural (AUDs). Since only a few approved pharmacological treatments are available to treat AUD and they do not apply to all individuals or AUD forms, the search for compounds that may help to eliminate the burden of the disease and complement other therapeutical approaches is necessary. Method: This work reviews recent research focused on the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms on the pathophysiology of AUD. Excessive drinking leads to chronic and compulsive consumption that eventually damages the organism. The central nervous system is a key target and is the focus of this study. The search for the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms behind the intricated dysregulation induced by ethanol will aid researchers in establishing new therapy approaches. Conclusion: Recent findings in the field of epigenetics are essential and offer new windows for observation and research. The study of small molecules that inhibit key epienzymes involved in nucleosome architecture dynamics is necessary in order to prove their action and specificity in the laboratory and to test their effectivity and safety in clinical trials with selected patients bearing defined alterations caused by ethanol.

Bounded Rationality in Compulsive Consumption

The standard microeconomic assumption is that consumers’ choices maximize consumers’ utility. This theoretical article challenges this assumption by presenting a framework of an extreme case: compulsive consumption. Backed by a wide range of existing empirical evidence it is shown by the example of pathological gamblers that some consumers (1) have inconsistent preferences, (2) underestimate the time horizon and the frequency of consumption, and (3) underestimate the costs and overestimate the benefits of consumption. The results do not necessarily violate rational choice theory if interpreted as intra-personal externalities. By applying the perspective of picoeconomics, it is possible to reconcile fully rational but competing agents within an individual with inconsistent aggregate decisions. Yet, from a welfare perspective, the results imply that bounded rationality can be interpreted as a source of inefficiency and can thus constitute a rationale for regulatory intervention.

Post-series depression: scale development and validation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report the development and validation of a scale for measuring “post-series depression” (PSD), a concept that describes the feelings of melancholy and longing that can occur when an individual’s all-consuming film or screen product comes to an end. Although largely ignored by academic research in the arts and leisure (A&L) domain, PSD has received wide coverage in grey literature concerning the termination of certain film or TV series. Design/methodology/approach Exploratory interviews were conducted with fans of a range of A&L products. Questionnaire surveys then examined the relationships between PSD, nostalgia and emptiness, and between PSD, binge-watching and compulsive consumption. Findings A 15-item scale to measure PSD was developed and its reliability demonstrated. Research limitations/implications The study was conducted within an A&L context. It only examined the abovementioned variables and no other potentially relevant psychological and behavioural considerations (e.g. audience involvement, narcissism and social anxiety). Practical implications The scale will be useful for investigating the marketing implications of fanship and its connections with addictive behaviour. It will help marketers when segmenting A&L markets, in understanding how to extend the period during which audiences purchase screen product-related memorabilia and to know how to market binge-watching-related items (e.g. box sets, clothing, books, theatre tickets and film studio visits). Originality/value This paper provides a rigorous examination of the concept of PSD and presents a scale for its measurement.

The Pathophysiology and Management of Coprophagia: A Report of Two Cases and Literature Review

Coprophagia is a rare and distressing disorder characterized by symptoms of compulsive consumption of feces. Several attempts have been made in literature to explore the pathophysiology, management, and outcomes of this disorder. However, critical questions remain, related to characterizing effective management, features of associated comorbidities, time to recovery of symptoms, sustainability of recovery, and the determinants of outcomes. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of available literature addressing these questions. We present two cases of patients with coprophagia in seeking to address these questions. Common symptoms of thought content disorder related to coprophagic behavior are noted in both cases. A shorter time to resolution of coprophagia is noted in one of the patients compared to previously reported studies. Recent and pertinent literature was reviewed and the implications for diagnosis and management of coprophagia are discussed.