Abstract
In spite of evidence suggesting two possible mechanisms related to drug-seeking behavior, namely reward-seeking and harm avoidance, much of the addiction literature has focused largely on positive incentivization mechanisms associated with addiction. In this study, we examined the contributing neural mechanisms of avoidance of an aversive state to drug-seeking behavior during marijuana withdrawal. To that end, marijuana users were scanned while performing the monetary incentive delay task in order to assess positive and negative incentive processes. The results showed a group x incentive interaction, such that marijuana users had greater response in areas that underlie reward processes during positive incentives while controls showed greater response in the same areas, but to negative incentives. Furthermore, a negative correlation between withdrawal symptoms and response in the amygdala during negative incentives was found in the marijuana users. These findings suggest that although marijuana users have greater reward sensitivity and less harm avoidance than controls, that attenuated amygdala response, an area that underlies fear and avoidance, was present in marijuana users with greater marijuana withdrawal symptoms. This is concordant with models of drug addiction that involve multiple sources of reinforcement in substance use disorders, and suggests the importance of strategies that focus on respective mechanisms.
Highlights
Drug-seeking behavior has been attributed to positive reinforcement processes that underlie increased sensitivity to rewarding effects of drugs as well as negative reinforcement processes, such as those that occur during avoidance of aversive effects of withdrawal [1]
monetary incentive delay (MID) Behavioral Performance No significant differences in variance for MID percent correct and reaction time were detected between groups via F-test or Levene’s Test
Despite similar behavioral task performance during anticipation of monetary gains and losses between marijuana users and nonusing controls, our findings suggest a difference between type of incentive and group, such that marijuana users have greater neural response to positive incentives, while non-using controls have greater neural response to negative incentives
Summary
Drug-seeking behavior has been attributed to positive reinforcement processes that underlie increased sensitivity to rewarding effects of drugs as well as negative reinforcement processes, such as those that occur during avoidance of aversive effects of withdrawal [1]. The allostasis model describes the later stages of addiction (i.e., maintenance and protracted abstinence) in terms of increased sensitivity to negative stimuli. Later stages are characterized in part by an increased motivation to avoid an aversive state such as continued use of drugs in order to avoid withdrawal symptoms [3] [4,5,6]. This later stage, referred to as the ‘dark side’ of drug addiction [3], is associated with the shift towards motivational aspects of withdrawal
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