Incentive Sensitization Model Research Articles

Wanting-liking dissociation and altered dopaminergic functioning: Similarities betweeninternet gaming disorder and tobaccouse disorder.

Although internet gaming disorder (IGD) has been included in the DSM-5 for approximately 10 years, debate remains regarding its existence and classification. The current research incorporated three approaches. First, implicit association tests were used to examine for potential dissociation between wanting and liking in IGD. Second, brain features in wanting and liking circuits were tested and compared with tobacco use disorder (TUD) when performing a cue-craving task to explore the neural features of wanting and liking. Third, dopaminergic systems were investigated in IGD and TUD using neuromelanin-sensitive MRI. The implicit association test results supported a wanting-liking dissociation in IGD participants. Functional MRI data suggested neural correlates underlying wanting-liking dissociation in IGD and TUD participants, with positive correlations suggesting greater dissociation with increasing addiction severity. Neuromelanin results suggest dopaminergic differences in IGD and TUD relative to healthy control participants. A wanting-liking dissociation in IGD participants suggests gaming motivations in IGD relating to incentive sensitization rather than hedonic responses. The neuromelanin-sensitive MRI results suggest dopaminergic involvement in IGD and TUD. The findings suggest similar brain-behaviour mechanisms for IGD and TUD based on an incentive-sensitization model for addiction, having implications for potential therapeutic strategies and policy-based interventions.

Sign-tracking to non-drug reward is related to severity of alcohol-use problems in a sample of individuals seeking treatment

BackgroundA prominent neuroscientific theory of drug addiction is the incentive sensitization model. Individual differences in the tendency to ascribe motivational salience to cues that predict reward, and involuntary “sign-tracking” (orientation towards) such cues have been identified as potentially important in understanding vulnerability to addiction and relapse. However, to date this behaviour has not been assessed in a treatment-seeking clinical population, who typically represent those most susceptible to alcohol-related harms and episodes of relapse. This highlights a significant gap in the literature pertaining to incentive sensitization and drug dependence. MethodsIndividuals accessing inpatient drug and alcohol services with alcohol as primary drug of concern were recruited to participate in a Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) intervention. At the baseline assessment, participants completed various self-report measures (including the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; AUDIT) in addition to a visual search task measuring sign-tracking to cues signalling monetary reward. At 3-month follow up, abstinence from alcohol was the primary outcome measure. All analyses and hypotheses were pre-registered. ResultsAt baseline (57 participants), AUDIT scores correlated with sign-tracking to signals of monetary reward. In a subsequent regression analysis sign-tracking, gender and self-reported alcohol craving predicted abstinence at 3-month follow up (41 participants). ConclusionsOur work demonstrates that involuntary sign-tracking to cues signalling non-drug reward is associated with problematic alcohol use and return to use at 3-month follow up, in a treatment-seeking sample. Whether this automatic prioritisation of cues signalling reward is a consequence or vulnerability for problematic alcohol use remains to be investigated.

Modelos neuropsicologicos y neuroimagen de las alteraciones cerebrales ocasionadas por la cocaína

La presente revisión de literatura hace referencia a los modelos que la neuropsicología manifiesta en relación a la drogodependencia, con el propósito de explicar el origen y desarrollo de los trastornos adictivos, respaldados por medio de la neuroimagen. El modelo clásico de la adicción, propuesto por Wikel (1965), el cual fue reformulado por nuevos modelos, entre los más destacados, el modelo basado en la transición entre impulsividad y compulsión de Everitt y Robbins (2005), el modelo de alostasis y estrés de Koob y Le Moal (2001, 2008), y el modelo de la sensibilización al incentivo de Robinson y Berridge (2001, 2003, 2008). De manera alternativa surgió el modelo (I-RISA) de Goldstein y Volkow (2002). Al final se formuló el modelo somático de las drogodependencias propuesto por Verdejo-García y Bechara (2009) y Pérez-García y Bechara (2006). Por último se aborda la recuperación o rehabilitación de la adicción desde una perspectiva neurológica y neuropsicológica.

Attentional bias in methamphetamine users: a visual search task study

Attentional bias for drug-related stimuli has been found in users of many types of drugs, which is closely correlated with drug use behaviors. However, such attentional bias in methamphetamine abusers has barely been addressed. The present study explored the attentional bias for methamphetamine-related stimuli in abstinent methamphetamine abusers (abstinent MA participants) and healthy participants. In Experiment 1, 32 abstinent MA participants completed a visual search task designed to assess attentional bias for methamphetamine-related (vs. neutral) pictures. In Experiment 2, 30 healthy participants with no history of drug use were recruited to complete the same task as in Experiment 1. In Experiment 3, 29 abstinent MA participants completed a similar task to examine attentional bias for methamphetamine-related (vs. neutral) pictures that were normal or scrambled. The results showed a decline of performance in MA participants when the methamphetamine-related stimulus appeared as one of the distractors in the search panel (Experiment 1). Such effect disappeared in healthy participants (Experiment 2) or when the methamphetamine-related pictures were scrambled (Experiment 3). The correlation between attentional bias and methamphetamine use behaviors was also investigated and it was found that the bias effect (indexed by response times) significantly positively correlated with years of methamphetamine use. These findings are consistent with the incentive-sensitization model of drug addiction, and support the existence of attentional bias in methamphetamine users. The cognitive task used in the present study may also have implications for intervention and prevention of methamphetamine use and relapse.

Conditioned “Cross Fading”: The Incentive Motivational Effects of Mediated-Polysubstance Pairings on Alcohol, Marijuana, and Junk Food Craving

The bulk of mass media and substance cue research has examined the processes and effects of substance cue images in isolation under controlled experimental conditions. However, little attention has been devoted to delineating the specific outcomes associated with simultaneous polysubstance depictions. This study experimentally examined whether alcohol, marijuana, and junk food mediated cues influence craving independently and whether craving for these substances is co-facilitated by simultaneous polysubstance cue depictions. At a laboratory session, participants reported their craving to substance cues in isolation and when paired with one another. The results from this study support the incentive sensitization model and polysubstance literature indicating that alcohol and marijuana cues facilitate craving for both alcohol and marijuana above and beyond when alcohol and marijuana cues are depicted in isolation for high and low users of each substance. Junk food craving was not facilitated by alcohol and marijuana cues. Theoretically, this study supports the notion that simultaneous and repeated use of multiple substances results in greater hypersensitivity and craving to mediated polysubstance cues than the cues in isolation. Practically, this study provides a word of caution for researchers examining craving responses to mediated substance cue messages and recommendations for health professionals and message designers.

Investigating an Incentive-Sensitization Model of Eating Behavior: Impact of a Simulated Fast-Food Laboratory

The incentive-sensitization (IS) theory proposes that “wanting” (strong motivation), more so than “liking” (hedonic pleasure), drives compulsive consumption in both substance use and overeating. Importantly, “wanting” and “liking” are only distinct in the presence of relevant cues. Cues may also contribute to overeating by increasing feelings of hunger. We employed a simulated fast-food laboratory to test IS theory by examining the effect of environmental cues on eating behavior. We tested the following hypotheses: In a cue-rich compared to neutral environment, (a) wanting would be greater whereas liking would remain the same, (b) feelings of hunger would be greater, and (c) food consumption would be greater, a relationship mediated by elevated wanting and hunger. These hypotheses were supported in the current study. Thus, contextual cues may contribute to overconsumption through increased wanting and hunger. These findings have public health implications for overeating and obesity.

Implicit Alcohol Approach and Avoidance Tendencies Predict Future Drinking in Problem Drinkers.

Addiction is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and substance use, yet many individuals break free of these patterns and change their behavior. Traditional candidate predictors of behavior change/persistence rely on self-reports of factors such as readiness to change. However, explicit measures only characterize top-down influences on behavior. The incentive sensitization model of addition suggests that more implicit, automatic processes, such as the tendency to approach substance cues, play a major role in behavior. We examined implicit alcohol approach and avoidance tendencies using a reaction time (RT) task in a sample of problem drinkers with alcohol use disorder (AUD) seeking to reduce heavy drinking. We measured alcohol approach and avoidance tendencies at baseline and at outcome, 12weeks later. We asked whether alcohol approach and avoidance tendencies (i) changed over time, (ii) related to current drinking, and (iii) predicted changes in drinking from baseline to outcome. Approach and avoidance tendencies did not significantly change over time, nor did they correlate with current drinking, but these tendencies at baseline did predict drinking weeks later. Faster alcohol approach was associated with greater overall drinking at outcome, and faster alcohol avoidance predicted fewer drinking days per week at outcome. Exploratory analyses examined the relationship between approach and avoidance and traditional explicit measures including appraisals of alcohol and motivation to change. Implicit approach tendencies were largely distinct from explicit measures, and approach and avoidance tendencies explained unique variance in outcome drinking. The current findings suggest that implicit alcohol approach and avoidance tendencies assessed via a simple reaction time task can predict relative changes in drinking weeks later. Given that many explicit measures typically used in treatment studies fail to predict who will change, approach and avoidance tendencies are promising candidates to understand individual differences in treatment responses.

Differences in Attentional Biases to Food Cues between Obese and Healthy Weight Individuals as Measured by a Stroop Task and Electroencephalographic Indices

Event Abstract Back to Event Differences in Attentional Biases to Food Cues between Obese and Healthy Weight Individuals as Measured by a Stroop Task and Electroencephalographic Indices Joshua Hendrikse1*, Melissa Hayden1 and Emily Kothe1 1 Deakin University, Psychology, Australia Obesity is now the most common chronic physical illness in Westernized society. With a relative lack of successful interventions, the prevalence of obesity continues to increase, placing health care systems under considerable strain. In order to address this, research has attempted to identify cognitive components that may be implicated in excessive food consumption and weight gain. According to the incentive-sensitization model, hypersensitivity to food-stimuli creates biases in attentional processing, modulating food cravings and approach behaviour and thus contributing to the onset of obesity. A pilot study comprised of ten obese and seventeen healthy weight individuals was conducted, and aimed to test whether increased attentional bias to lexical food stimuli, would be shown by the obese compared to healthy weight group. A food-modified Stroop task was included to assess reaction time biases to food stimuli, while P200 and P300 event-related potentials were employed as indices of automatic and conscious attentional processes respectively. Contrary to expectations, there were no significant between-group differences found between the P200 and P300 amplitudes during presentation of lexical food stimuli. However, a 16.82ms bias to high calorie food words compared to control stimuli was found within the obese weight group. Self-reported susceptibility to hunger, as measured by the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire and the P200 high-calorie condition in obese participants were also found to be significantly positively correlated. Collectively these results offer preliminary support in favour of altered cue-reactivity in obese individuals and justify the undertaking of replication studies with an increased sample size. Given the implications of attentional biases on the aetiology of obesity, an increased research focus in this area may aid in the development of effective interventions to combat this global epidemic. Keywords: Obesity, Information Processing, attentional bias, event-related potential, Stroop task, Food cue-reactivity Conference: XII International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON-XII), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 27 Jul - 31 Jul, 2014. Presentation Type: Poster Topic: Attention Citation: Hendrikse J, Hayden M and Kothe E (2015). Differences in Attentional Biases to Food Cues between Obese and Healthy Weight Individuals as Measured by a Stroop Task and Electroencephalographic Indices. Conference Abstract: XII International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON-XII). doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2015.217.00145 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 19 Feb 2015; Published Online: 24 Apr 2015. * Correspondence: Mr. Joshua Hendrikse, Deakin University, Psychology, Burwood, Australia, joshua.hendrikse@gmail.com Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Joshua Hendrikse Melissa Hayden Emily Kothe Google Joshua Hendrikse Melissa Hayden Emily Kothe Google Scholar Joshua Hendrikse Melissa Hayden Emily Kothe PubMed Joshua Hendrikse Melissa Hayden Emily Kothe Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Attentional Bias for Drug Cues in Heroin Dependence

Previous studies have shown that heroin dependence exhibit an attentional bias toward heroin- related cues. In present article, we reviewed evidence regarding theoretical explanation, paradigm and researches in this field. Incentive-sensitization model, cognitive processing model, integration model may explain the attentional bias in heroin dependence. The paradigms include stroop task, probe-detection and so on. It was found that heroin-related stimuli have acquired attention-grabbing properties. Furthermore, those cues are selected for sustained attentive processing. Although several studies now reveal that attentional bias is related to heroin craving, it is still unknown the causal role of attentional bias and drug craving. The characteristic of attentional bias in heroin dependence become very complicated during detoxification treatment. Further research in this area should concentrate on the neural mechanisms of attentional bias, the relationship between attentional bias and executive cognitive functioning, and the clinical effectiveness of attentional bias training in heroin dependence.

Attentional Processing of Food Cues in Overweight and Obese Individuals.

The incentive sensitization model of obesity hypothesizes that obese individuals in the western world have acquired an enhanced attention bias to food cues, because of the overwhelming exposure to food. This article gives an overview of recent studies regarding attention to food and obesity. In general, an interesting approach-avoidance pattern in food-related attention has been found in overweight/obese individuals in a number of studies. However, it should be noted that study results are contradictory. This might be due to methodological issues, such as the choice of attention measurements, possibly tapping different underlying components of information processing. Although attention research is challenging, researchers are encouraged to further explore important issues, such as the exact circumstances in which obese persons demonstrate enhanced attention to food, the directional relationship between food-related attention bias, overeating and weight gain, and the underlying involvement of the reward system. Knowledge on these issues could help improve treatment programs.

Enhanced processing of food-related pictures in female external eaters

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate differences in the processing of food-related pictures between women with high and low scores on a scale of external eating. Electro-encephalographic brain activity was recorded, while participants were actively exposed to pictures of food items and control pictures. The amplitude of the P300 component of the even-related potentials was used as an index of motivation-related information processing. An enlarged P300 wave to food-related pictures was found in high external eaters as compared to low external eaters at several parieto-occipital electrode positions. No group differences in P300 amplitudes were found to neutral control pictures or pleasant, motivationally salient control pictures. It can be concluded that external eaters display an enhanced attentional processing of food-related information. The findings are discussed within an incentive sensitization model of overeating behavior.

Smoking, Mood Regulation, and Personality: An Event‐Sampling Exploration of Potential Models and Moderation

The aim of the present study was to test potential models of smoking-related changes in mood and how these are moderated by personality (behavioral activation and inhibition systems). Three models yielding distinct predictions regarding mood changes associated with cues to smoking and effects of ingestion were identified: the negative reinforcement model, the appetitive-incentive model, and the incentive-sensitization model. Seventy participants provided baseline data on personality and mood, and subsequently monitored their smoking behavior over 48 hours using an event-contingent diary--eliciting reports of mood state immediately prior to, and after, each cigarette smoked. MANOVA and multilevel modeling indicated that mood (hedonic tone and energetic arousal) improved significantly (p<.001) from baseline to pre-smoking, but did not change from pre- to post-smoking, thereby supporting the incentive-sensitization model. Further multilevel analyses indicated that significant variability in hedonic tone was moderated by the behavioral activation system.

Cigarette smoking and attention to signals of reward and threat in the Stroop paradigm.

To test the prediction arising from the incentive-sensitization model of addiction that when tested immediately after smoking, smokers will show heightened attention to words with appetitive and aversive motivational significance compared with their performance during acute abstinence. Twenty-one smokers were each tested twice, once just after smoking and once after overnight abstinence, on three versions of the modified Stroop task which required colour naming of words with either neutral, appetitive or aversive connotations. Ten non-smokers were tested once. All participants were tested in a quiet experimental cubicle within the psychology department. Smokers comprised nine men and 12 women who had smoked at least 10 cigarettes per day for the last 6 months; non-smokers comprised five men and five women who had never smoked. All were aged between 18 and 35 years. Three smokers were excluded from the analyses because their breath CO levels suggested they had not complied with the instructions to abstain on one occasion. A card-based, blocked, format was used for the modified Stroop task. Time to colour-name the words of the three motivational types, the order of which was counterbalanced across participants, was recorded. Smoking was associated with greater interference from both threat and appetitive words than from neutral words; during abstinence there was no differential effect of word type. Non-smokers performed more similarly to recent smokers. This pattern suggests suppression of normal motivational responding during abstinence.

Mechanisms of alcohol craving and their clinical implications.

Craving for alcohol is frequently given as a reason for drinking and is often used as a surrogate measure in studies of alcoholism and its treatment. Despite this wide use, there is little consensus on what craving for alcohol means, the best way to measure it, what mechanism accounts for the urge to drink, or what is its true relationship to alcohol use. This chapter reviews theoretical and measurement issues about the possible mechanisms involved in craving for alcohol and the clinical implications of evidence supporting them. Until recently, most instruments for assessing craving assumed it was a univariate construct and usually contained only one or a few items. Several multi-item and multidimensional rating instruments have now been developed that offer the promise of more useful assessment of clinically relevant behavior. Most models of craving have assumed that a consistent and positive relationship exists between craving and drinking. The incentive sensitization model and the cognitive theory of drug use and drug urges may account better than the older models for the frequent clinical observation of a dissociation between craving and drinking. However, no single model or theory of craving accounts for the wide variation in findings reviewed here, suggesting that multiple mechanisms may be involved. A comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach is necessary to elucidate the nature of craving for alcohol and its implications for pharmacological and psychosocial treatment of alcoholism.