Attentional bias for drug cues in opiate dependence
Attentional bias for drug cues in opiate dependence
Background. In a number of theories of compulsive drug use conditioned responses to stimuli associated with drug taking play a pivotal role. For example, according to incentive-sensitization theory (Robinson & Berridge, 1993), drug-related stimuli selectively capture attention, and the neural mechanisms underlying this attentional bias play a key role in the development and maintenance of drug dependence, and in relapse. However, there has been little work that assesses attentional biases in addiction.
Methods. We used a pictorial probe detection task to investigate whether there is an attentional bias to stimuli associated with drug use in opiate dependence. Stimuli presented included pairs of drug-related and matched neutral pictures. Methadone-maintained opiate addicts (N = 16) were compared with age-matched controls (N = 16).
Results. A mixed design analysis of variance of response times to probes revealed a significant three-way interaction of group×drug picture location×probe location. Opiate addicts had relatively faster reaction times to probes that replaced drug pictures rather than neutral pictures, consistent with the predicted attentional bias to drug-related stimuli.
Conclusions. These results support the idea that an attentional bias for drug-related stimuli occurs in opiate dependence. This is consistent with the concept of a central role for such salient stimuli in compulsive drug use.
169-175
Lubman, D. I.
cb8cc7b8-996b-4ba6-a0a7-4070560673f0
Peters, L.A.
ce7948ab-14a2-457b-b04a-54cbf1c07fac
Mogg, K.
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Bradley, B.P.
bdacaa6c-528b-4086-9448-27ebfe463514
Deakin, J.F.W.
f816a42d-16a8-4750-864d-d9e0ad522646
2000
Lubman, D. I.
cb8cc7b8-996b-4ba6-a0a7-4070560673f0
Peters, L.A.
ce7948ab-14a2-457b-b04a-54cbf1c07fac
Mogg, K.
5f1474af-85f5-4fd3-8eb6-0371be848e30
Bradley, B.P.
bdacaa6c-528b-4086-9448-27ebfe463514
Deakin, J.F.W.
f816a42d-16a8-4750-864d-d9e0ad522646
Lubman, D. I., Peters, L.A., Mogg, K., Bradley, B.P. and Deakin, J.F.W.
(2000)
Attentional bias for drug cues in opiate dependence.
Psychological Medicine, 30 (1), .
(doi:10.1017/S0033291799001269).
Abstract
Background. In a number of theories of compulsive drug use conditioned responses to stimuli associated with drug taking play a pivotal role. For example, according to incentive-sensitization theory (Robinson & Berridge, 1993), drug-related stimuli selectively capture attention, and the neural mechanisms underlying this attentional bias play a key role in the development and maintenance of drug dependence, and in relapse. However, there has been little work that assesses attentional biases in addiction.
Methods. We used a pictorial probe detection task to investigate whether there is an attentional bias to stimuli associated with drug use in opiate dependence. Stimuli presented included pairs of drug-related and matched neutral pictures. Methadone-maintained opiate addicts (N = 16) were compared with age-matched controls (N = 16).
Results. A mixed design analysis of variance of response times to probes revealed a significant three-way interaction of group×drug picture location×probe location. Opiate addicts had relatively faster reaction times to probes that replaced drug pictures rather than neutral pictures, consistent with the predicted attentional bias to drug-related stimuli.
Conclusions. These results support the idea that an attentional bias for drug-related stimuli occurs in opiate dependence. This is consistent with the concept of a central role for such salient stimuli in compulsive drug use.
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Published date: 2000
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Local EPrints ID: 18429
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/18429
ISSN: 0033-2917
PURE UUID: 4c0d6765-4370-4cde-b897-48e0c3997a1f
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Date deposited: 21 Dec 2005
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:19
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Author:
D. I. Lubman
Author:
L.A. Peters
Author:
J.F.W. Deakin
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