Automatic approach bias towards smoking cues is present in smokers but not in ex-smokers

TY - JOUR

T1 - Automatic approach bias towards smoking cues is present in smokers but not in ex-smokers

AU - Wiers, Corinde E

AU - Kühn, Simone

AU - Javadi, Amir Homayoun

AU - Korucuoglu, Ozlem

AU - Wiers, Reinout W

AU - Walter, Henrik

AU - Gallinat, Jürgen

AU - Bermpohl, Felix

PY - 2013/9/1

Y1 - 2013/9/1

N2 - RATIONALE: Drug-addicted individuals show automatic approach tendencies towards drug-related cues, i.e., an approach bias (ApB). Nevertheless, little is known about ApB in tobacco smokers and about the presence of ApB after smoking abstinence.OBJECTIVES: We investigated ApB to smoking cues in heavy tobacco smokers versus never-smokers and studied its relation to smoking characteristics and craving. Second, we compared ApBs of heavy smokers with biases of abstinent heavy smokers.METHOD: A group of current heavy smokers (n = 24), ex-smokers who were abstinent for at least 5 years (n = 20), and never-smokers (n = 20) took part in the experiment. An indirect smoking approach avoidance task was performed, in which participants were required to respond to pictures of smoking and neutral cues by pulling (approach) or pushing (avoid) on a joystick, according to the content-irrelevant format of the picture (landscape or portrait). Craving scores were examined using the Questionnaire of Smoking Urges.RESULTS: Heavy smokers showed an ApB for smoking cues compared to ex-smokers and never-smokers, which correlated positively to craving scores. There were no group differences in ApB scores for ex-smokers and never-smokers.CONCLUSION: These results suggest that ApBs for smoking cues are present in heavy smokers and decrease after long-term successful smoking cessation.

AB - RATIONALE: Drug-addicted individuals show automatic approach tendencies towards drug-related cues, i.e., an approach bias (ApB). Nevertheless, little is known about ApB in tobacco smokers and about the presence of ApB after smoking abstinence.OBJECTIVES: We investigated ApB to smoking cues in heavy tobacco smokers versus never-smokers and studied its relation to smoking characteristics and craving. Second, we compared ApBs of heavy smokers with biases of abstinent heavy smokers.METHOD: A group of current heavy smokers (n = 24), ex-smokers who were abstinent for at least 5 years (n = 20), and never-smokers (n = 20) took part in the experiment. An indirect smoking approach avoidance task was performed, in which participants were required to respond to pictures of smoking and neutral cues by pulling (approach) or pushing (avoid) on a joystick, according to the content-irrelevant format of the picture (landscape or portrait). Craving scores were examined using the Questionnaire of Smoking Urges.RESULTS: Heavy smokers showed an ApB for smoking cues compared to ex-smokers and never-smokers, which correlated positively to craving scores. There were no group differences in ApB scores for ex-smokers and never-smokers.CONCLUSION: These results suggest that ApBs for smoking cues are present in heavy smokers and decrease after long-term successful smoking cessation.

KW - Adult

KW - Cues

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Photic Stimulation

KW - Psychomotor Performance

KW - Questionnaires

KW - Reaction Time

KW - Smoking

KW - Smoking Cessation

U2 - 10.1007/s00213-013-3098-5

DO - 10.1007/s00213-013-3098-5

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 23604335

VL - 229

SP - 187

EP - 197

JO - PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY

JF - PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY

SN - 0033-3158

IS - 1

ER -