Autism and gambling: A systematic review, focusing on neurocognition.

Researchers looked at studies about autism and gambling to understand if there are connections between them. They found very few studies on this topic - only 9 studies were good enough to include. The studies showed mixed results about how autistic people perform on gambling-type tasks, but autistic people were consistently slower when making decisions. One study suggested there might be a link between gambling problems and autism traits. Much more research is needed in this area.

This systematic review examined the relationship between autism and gambling, particularly focusing on cognitive aspects. Only 9 studies out of 343 publications met inclusion criteria, highlighting limited research in this area. Studies examining decision-making through cognitive tasks showed mixed results, with autistic people performing worse, equivalent, or better than non-autistic people depending on the study. The most consistent finding was that autistic people responded more slowly on gambling tasks compared to non-autistic people.

One study found a connection between problem gambling and autism characteristics in people who gamble occasionally. The review emphasizes the significant gap in understanding neurocognitive overlap between autism and gambling behaviors.

The profound lack of research highlights a significant knowledge gap regarding gambling risks in autistic people. Clinicians should be aware of potential vulnerability to gambling problems in some autistic individuals. Future research with larger samples and validated tools is urgently needed to understand neurocognitive overlap and inform appropriate screening and intervention strategies.

Only 9 studies out of 343 publications met inclusion criteria, indicating extremely limited research. Mixed and inconsistent results across studies. Lack of adequately powered samples and validated assessment tools. Insufficient evidence to draw definitive conclusions about autism-gambling relationships.

Autism spectrum disorders (hereafter autism) are prevalent and often associated with elevated rates of substance use disorders. A subset of people who gamble develop gambling disorder, which is functionally impairing. Characterization of relationships between autism and gambling, particularly as relates to cognition, may have important implications. We conducted a systematic review of the literature.

Nine out of 343 publications were found eligible for inclusion. Most studies examined decision-making using cognitive tasks, showing mixed results (less, equivalent or superior performance in autistic people compared to non-autistic people). The most consistent cognitive finding was relatively slower responses in autistic people on gambling tasks, compared to non-autistic people. One study reported a link between problem gambling and autism scores, in people who gamble at least occasionally.

This systematic review highlights a profound lack of research on the potential neurocognitive overlap between autism and gambling. Future work should address the link between autism and behavioral addictions in adequately powered samples, using validated tools.