Abstract
IntroductionThe role of inhibitory control in addictive behaviors is highlighted in several models of addictive behaviors. Although reduced inhibitory control has been observed in addictive behaviors, it is inconclusive whether this is evident in smokers. Furthermore, it has been proposed that drug abuse individuals with poor response inhibition may experience greater difficulties not consuming substances in the presence of drug cues. The major aim of the current study was to provide electrophysiological evidence for reduced inhibitory control in smokers and to investigate whether this is more pronounced during smoking cue exposure.MethodsParticipants (19 smokers and 20 non-smoking controls) performed a smoking Go/NoGo task. Behavioral accuracy and amplitudes of the N2 and P3 event-related potential (ERP), both reflecting aspects of response inhibition, were the main variables of interest.ResultsReduced NoGo N2 amplitudes in smokers relative to controls were accompanied by decreased task performance, whereas no differences between groups were found in P3 amplitudes. This was found to represent a general lack of inhibition in smokers, and not dependent on the presence of smoking cues.ConclusionsThe current results suggest that smokers have difficulties with response inhibition, which is an important finding that eventually can be implemented in smoking cessation programs. More research is needed to clarify the exact role of cue exposure on response inhibition.
Highlights
The role of inhibitory control in addictive behaviors is highlighted in several models of addictive behaviors
Reduced NoGo N2 amplitudes in smokers relative to controls were accompanied by decreased task performance, whereas no differences between groups were found in P3 amplitudes
Go and NoGo trials differ with respect to the overt motor response, which could influence the difference between Go and NoGo N2 amplitudes, it has been found that theNoGo N2 is not restricted to tasks requiring these overt motor responses [20], a modulation of the N2 event-related potential (ERP) by response inhibition requirements has been observed in other inhibition-related paradigms besides the Go/NoGo task [21,22,23]
Summary
The role of inhibitory control in addictive behaviors is highlighted in several models of addictive behaviors. Some studies have investigated response inhibition in smokers In these studies, inhibitory control was generally assessed by means of behavioral paradigms, such as Go/NoGo tasks. Two major ERP components have been reported to be enhanced for NoGo trials as compared to Go trials suggesting that these reflect changes in brain activity related to response inhibition in a Go/NoGo task. The first of these ERP-components is the NoGo N2 which is a negative wave that emerges approximately 200–300 ms after stimulus presentation and has maximum peaks on frontal scalp sites. Go and NoGo trials differ with respect to the overt motor response, which could influence the difference between Go and NoGo N2 amplitudes, it has been found that theNoGo N2 is not restricted to tasks requiring these overt motor responses [20], a modulation of the N2 ERP by response inhibition requirements has been observed in other inhibition-related paradigms besides the Go/NoGo task [21,22,23]
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