Topiramate Trial for Pathological Gamblers

Inclusion Criteria: * current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Fourth Edition Text Revised (DSM-IV-TR) diagnosis of pathological gambling * a betting frequency of at least once a week in the last 30 days * women within fertility age had to be already practicing an acceptable contraception method and to be negative at a pregnancy test. Exclusion Criteria: * illiteracy * breastfeeding for women * previous history of alcohol abuse/dependence with current elevation of liver enzymes, or a present diagnosis of alcohol abuse/dependence * past or current drug abuse/dependence, except for nicotine dependence * history of current or past DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis or any neuropsychiatric condition causing cognitive impairment * a history of suicide attempt or acute suicide risk * severe depression indicated by a score equal to or higher than 30 at the Beck Depression Inventory * current participation in psychotherapy for pathological gambling, including Gamblers Anonymous in the past 3 months * current use of mood stabilizers, antidepressants, antipsychotics, except occasional use of benzodiazepines * cardiovascular disease including a history of heart attack, stroke, arrhythmia, cardiac failure in the past 5 years * chronic or acute renal and liver failure * a personal or family history of nephrolithiasis * immunodeficiency * any blood dyscrasia.