PROBLEM gamblers in Finland are to trial a treatment normally used to reverse heroin overdoses.
Up to 3 per cent of people have gambling disorders. These people seem to experience a strong rush of dopamine in the brain when they gamble, making it difficult to stop.
Next week, a trial in Finland will begin testing the use of a nasal spray in 130 problem gamblers. The spray contains naloxone, a drug that blocks dopamine release. For three months, half the volunteers will use the spray daily, while the others will be given a placebo instead.
The naloxone nasal spray was…
