Abstract
A cue-modulated startle test recently confirmed that smoking cues in smokers may not be withdrawal-like and aversive as traditionally believed. Analogous tests were applied to alcohol cues in inpatient alcoholics. Twenty-six withdrawn alcoholics (18 men) were examined. Alcohol-related pictures were compared to standardised pleasant, neutral or unpleasant control scenes using an acoustic startle test and measures of pleasure, arousal and desire for alcohol. Pictures depicting preparation for drinking (cues) were different from unpleasant control pictures and similar to pleasant pictures but only on the startle test; no differential effects were found for alcohol craving and mixed motivational effects were reported subjectively. The effects were not due to arousal and control pictures depicting post-drinking events showed less effect than the alcohol cues. New techniques of measuring drug cue motivation indicate that drug cues may have incentive properties in individuals in treatment for alcoholism.
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