Midbrain Mutiny: The Picoeconomics and Neuroeconomics of Disordered Gambling: Economic Theory and Cognitive Science

by Don Ross, Rudy E. Vuchinich

The explanatory power of economic theory is tested by the phenomenon of irrationalconsumption, examples of which include such addictive behaviors as disordered and pathologicalgambling. Midbrain Mutiny examines different economic models of disorderedgambling, using the frameworks of neuroeconomics (which analyzes decision making in the brain) andpicoeconomics (which analyzes patterns of consumption behavior), and drawing on empirical evidenceabout behavior and the brain. The book describes addiction in neuroeconomic terms as chronicdisruption of the balance between the midbrain dopamine system and the prefrontal and frontalserotonergic system, and reviews recent evidence from trials testing the effectiveness ofantiaddiction drugs. The authors argue that the best way to understand disordered and addictivegambling is with a hybrid picoeconomic-neuroeconomic model.

Genres: Science, Philosophy

301 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2008

Reviews

[Muhammad al-Khwarizmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, if overly instrumentalist and too generous to neoclassical economic theory, but very dense. Very, very dense. Practically a reference work. Read in full only if you are truly hardcore about the topic of addiction.

[Dana Ream · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is directed less at a general audience, and more towards academics. Having said that, I thought is was interesting none the less.