OBJECTIVE: Older people are vulnerable to zinc deficiency, which may impact upon their mood. This randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind intervention study aimed to investigate the effect of oral zinc gluconate supplementation (15 mg/d; 30 mg/d; and placebo) on subjective mood (affect) in older Europeans. SUBJECTS: Healthy volunteers (n 387) aged 55-87 years were recruited. SETTING: Volunteers in Rome (Italy; n 108) and Grenoble (France; n 91) were aged 70-87 years and those in Coleraine (Northern Ireland; n 93) and Clermont-Ferrand (France; n 95) were aged 55-70 years. DESIGN: Mood was measured using the Positive and Negative Affect Scale on four occasions per day over 4 d at baseline, 3 and 6 months post-intervention. RESULTS: Mixed ANOVA indicated that neither positive nor negative affect altered in response to zinc (15 mg/d or 30 mg/d) compared to placebo in either the 55-70 years or the >/=70 years age group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that zinc does not benefit mood in healthy older people.

Jogo Patológico e Dependência Química são transtornos psiquiátricos que apresentam relevante relação com avidez e estados afetivos. Inevitavelmente, a avaliação destes fenômenos nas dependências químicas sofre o viés da ação farmacológica da substância sobre o humor. Jogo Patológico vem sendo considerado uma dependência comportamental e um modelo promissor na investigação psicológica e contextual de fenômenos presentes nos diagnósticos de dependências. O estudo aprofundado da relação entre avidez e afetos em jogadores patológicos e a comparação dos mesmos com dependentes químicos contribuirá para melhor caracterização do Jogo Patológico e dos tratamentos relacionados / Pathological Gambling (PG) and Chemical Dependence (CD) are psychiatry disorders that have relevant relation with craving and affects. These phenomenons have been investigated in CD, however craving and affects among gamblers did not receive the same attention. Unavoidable, the study of these phenomenons on CD are under the substance related action influence. Craving and affects would be better understood on a disorder that shares the same addictions patterns without the presence of a psycho-active. PG has been described by literature as an addictive behavior. The parallels between Substance Disorders and PG are quite pronounced. PG as a promise model to comprehend the evolving process related to addiction. This investigation might enhance PG clinical characterization and treatment improvement

Jogo Patológico e Dependência Química são transtornos psiquiátricos que apresentam relevante relação com avidez e estados afetivos. Inevitavelmente, a avaliação destes fenômenos nas dependências químicas sofre o viés da ação farmacológica da substância sobre o humor. Jogo Patológico vem sendo considerado uma dependência comportamental e um modelo promissor na investigação psicológica e contextual de fenômenos presentes nos diagnósticos de dependências. O estudo aprofundado da relação entre avidez e afetos em jogadores patológicos e a comparação dos mesmos com dependentes químicos contribuirá para melhor caracterização do Jogo Patológico e dos tratamentos relacionados / Pathological Gambling (PG) and Chemical Dependence (CD) are psychiatry disorders that have relevant relation with craving and affects. These phenomenons have been investigated in CD, however craving and affects among gamblers did not receive the same attention. Unavoidable, the study of these phenomenons on CD are under the substance related action influence. Craving and affects would be better understood on a disorder that shares the same addictions patterns without the presence of a psycho-active. PG has been described by literature as an addictive behavior. The parallels between Substance Disorders and PG are quite pronounced. PG as a promise model to comprehend the evolving process related to addiction. This investigation might enhance PG clinical characterization and treatment improvement