Abstract
Impaired response inhibition is an important factor in tobacco dependence. We examined the effects of inhibitory control training (ICT) on inhibition, smoking resistance and cigarette use. Smokers (n = 55) abstained from smoking for 12 h prior to testing. On the test day, participants recorded cigarette use and completed pre-training measures of global and cue-specific (smoking-related) response inhibition. Participants were randomized to either an active or a control ICT group. The active group was required to repeatedly inhibit a response towards smoking cues (100%), while the control group was required to inhibit a response towards smoking and neutral cues with equal frequency (50%). Participants performed post-training measures of response inhibition, smoking resistance and cigarette use. Inhibition data did not indicate time (pre-training, post-training) × group (active training, control training) or time × group × cue (smoking, neutral) interactions. There was weak evidence that smokers in the active group were more likely to resist smoking than those in the control group. Cigarette use data did not indicate a time × group interaction. Our data suggest that ICT may enhance the ability to resist smoking, indicating that training may be a promising adjunct to smoking pharmacotherapy.
Highlights
Impaired response inhibition is an important etiological factor in models of tobacco dependence [1]
Smokers have greater difficulty in inhibiting responses than non-smokers [2], and more dependent smokers show lower inhibition capacity than lighter, less nicotine-dependent smokers [1,3]. These findings suggest that individual differences in inhibitory control may predict cigarette use and level of nicotine dependence
Response inhibition in smokers is further attenuated during smoking cessation [4,5,6], while nicotine replacement therapy in abstinent smokers increases inhibitory control compared with placebo [7,8]
Summary
Impaired response inhibition is an important etiological factor in models of tobacco dependence [1]. Response inhibition in smokers is further attenuated during smoking cessation [4,5,6], while nicotine replacement therapy in abstinent smokers increases inhibitory control compared with placebo [7,8] These studies suggest that abstinence from nicotine underlies reduced response inhibition during smoking cessation, rather than non-nicotine related factors (e.g. habit) [9]. Together with two recent meta-analyses [10,11], indicate that a computer test that requires participants to repeatedly inhibit a response towards relevant stimuli (e.g. alcohol-related cues) results in behaviour change (e.g. reduced alcohol consumption). It is not clear how ICT modifies behaviour. We hypothesized that ICT would improve response inhibition towards smoking-related cues in smokers, and that ICT would improve the ability to resist smoking and reduce cigarette use
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