Addiction 36: How Brain Chemistry Shapes Gambling and Eating Behaviours, with Dr Jakob Linnet

In this episode, Dr Michael Auer and his social superior Jon Bruford explore the neurobiological underpinnings of addiction, focusing on dopamine's role in gambling, binge eating, and other behaviours. Dr. Jakob Linnet shares insights from brain imaging research, the impact of societal factors, and strategies for managing addictive impulses.

This episode comes to you courtesy of the excellent Gaming Laboratories International.

GLI is a world-class testing, inspections and certification company committed to delivering the highest quality land-based, lottery and iGaming testing and assessment services, working in more than 710 jurisdictions.

For more information, visit gaminglabs.com.

What we talk about, in list form:

• Dopamine's role in addiction
• Brain imaging and neurobiological insights
• Crossover between food and gambling addiction
• Reward prediction and error in addiction
• Treatment approaches and societal influences

Choice quotes:

• "Dopamine signals anticipated rewards, not just pleasure."
• "Gambling disorder doesn't show reduced dopamine receptors."
• "Addiction may stem from sustained dopamine activation."

Chapters, but add a minute because of our lovely music and intro:

• 00:00 Introduction and Personal Experiences
• 02:34 Understanding Addiction and Its Forms
• 06:25 Dopamine: The Brain's Reward System
• 10:32 Behavioral Addictions vs. Substance Addictions
• 18:40 The Role of Anticipation in Addiction
• 20:48 Accessibility and Availability of Addictive Behaviors
• 25:17 Personal Reflections on Binge Eating
• 31:00 Exploring Underlying Issues in Addiction
• 33:11 Coping with Thoughts and Dopamine Strategies
• 36:12 Understanding Individual Differences in Dopamine Response
• 39:55 The Role of Medications and Brain Chemistry
• 40:09 Exploring the Impact of GLP-1 Medications
• 42:21 Internal vs. External Motivation in Treatment
• 44:01 Recognizing Patterns and Situational Control
• 47:30 Types of Eating Disorders Explained
• 49:52 Dopamine's Role in Binge Eating Disorder
• 50:27 Future of Brain Imaging and Addiction Diagnosis
• 52:05 Medications Affecting Dopamine and Addiction
• 58:18 Navigating Modern Food Environments
• 01:01:23 Educating Future Generations on Mental Health

Resources & Links:

GLI: https://gaminglabs.com/

Jakob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakob-linnet-4222028/

…and ReasearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jakob-Linnet

The Gambling Files on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-gambling-files-podcast/

Addiction: An Hour With Auer is a weekly podcast where hosts Dr Michael Auer – he of the title – and Jon Bruford talk about addiction in all its forms. Not just gambling addiction, they discuss all forms of addiction with experts, academics and researchers from around the world.

Dr Auer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-auer-51a48a/

Jon Bruford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-bruford-84346636/

Podcast homepage: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/addiction/

Media behemoth homepage: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/

Other podcasts we do:

https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/the-gambling-files/

https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/dessert-island-discs/