Neurocognitive underpinnings of problem gambling: The effects of transcranial electrical stimulation on cognitive performance in at-risk gamblers

Gambling disorder (GD) is the most prevalent behavioral addiction characterized by impairments in different aspects of cognitive functioning. As effective treatment options for cognitive impairment in GD are currently lacking, there is a growing need to evaluate the effects of novel treatments aimed at neurocognitive rehabilitation. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) on cognitive functions most affected in GD (i.e., decision-making, risk-taking, inhibition) in a sample of at-risk (problem) gamblers, as well as control participants with no gambling-related issues. Apart from evaluating tES effects on the aforementioned cognitive functions, the adopted approach will provide an opportunity to unravel the neurocognitive underpinnings of problem gambling.