NCRG Year In Review: Top 10 Accomplishments Of 2013

From a new video series to an extraordinary amount of funding for cutting-edge research, the NCRG has many accomplishments to celebrate in 2013. The NCRG staff compiled a few of the highlights from the past year.

1. The NCRG took the lead in helping treatment providers grapple with the changes in how gambling disorder is defined by theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)throughawebinar, a pre-conference workshop, a session at theNCRG Conference on Gambling and Addictionand awhite paper.
2. NCRGeducational programminghelped almost 1,500 treatment providers enhance their knowledge of gambling disorders. In fact, attendance for NCRGwebinarsincreased by 47 percent in 2013 alone!

1. Gambling disorders became part of the national conversation about mental health thanks to representation of NCRG staff and NCRG-funded scientists at meetings of the leading mental health organizations such asAmerican Psychiatric Association,College on Problems of Drug Dependence,Society for Neuroscience, theAmerican College Health AssociationandResearch Society on Alcoholism.
2. Rats! (Literally!) – Innovative research using animal models continued to be a priority as the NCRGawarded three grantsusing rats to better understand gambling disorders. For example, an NCRG-funded study by Rush University Medical Center proved that rats can be used to test the effectiveness of drugs for disordered gambling. The findings were published inNeuropsychopharmacology, renowned as one of the highest impact journals among scientific publications.
3. Preparing the next generation of gambling researchers was a hallmark of 2013 as NCRGawarded six grantsto young scientists and hosted a workshop for 30 new investigators at The University of Chicago.
4. The NCRG releasedtwo videosthat tell the story of NCRG and its impact on the field. See for yourself!
5. The NCRGnamed the University of Chicago and YaleUniversity as the next NCRG Centers of Excellence in Gambling Research. The NCRG also released theeighth volume of its monograph series, which summarizes six innovative studies conducted by the first NCRG Centers of Excellence in Gambling Research at the University of Minnesota and Yale University.
6. A record number of people – more than 33,000 – visited theNCRG’s websiteand blog. We also saw an increase inTwitterandFacebookfollowers!

1. The NCRG unveiledThe Discovery Project, an easy-to-use resource that brings research-based facts to your fingertips.
2. The NCRGawarded more than $700,000 in new grants, including research that will develop an intervention for college students using text messaging; test already-approved pharmaceuticals for gambling disorders; and explore social influences on risky decision-making.

This is only a sampling of the NCRG’s research, trainings and online resources that reached more than 500,000 individuals in 2013. We are very grateful to our many partners for making these accomplishments possible, and we look forward to what 2014 will bring!

Happy Holidays from everyone at the NCRG!

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