Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The incidence of compulsive buying has increased over the last two decades and it has a substantial negative impact on consumers' overall functioning. However, despite its clinical relevance, the neuropsychological mechanisms and neural correlates underlying this phenomenon are still unknown. Also, compulsive buying behaviour remains unrecognised as a diagnostic category belonging to addictive disorders. AIM: The aim of the study is to systematically analyse the available empirical evidence on compulsive buying in order to identify the underlying neuropsychological variables and neural correlates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, Scopus and ScienceDirect were searched for the mechanisms behind this phenomenon. RESULTS: The results show only 11 recent studies that investigate these mechanisms. In addition, the protocol of this systematic review was pre-registered in the international PROSPERO register (registration number CRD42023427497). CONCLUSIONS: The studies reviewed refer to impaired executive functions, decision-making and sensitivity to rewards, and a tendency to reactivity to purchase-related cues. This pattern of behaviour appears to involve a loss of behavioural control linked to dysregulation of structures such as the striatum and frontal regions. The results obtained are examined and similarities with the mechanisms underlying other addictions are discussed.