Prequit fMRI Responses to Pleasant Cues and Cigarette-Related Cues Predict Smoking Cessation Outcome

Abstract

Smokers with blunted brain responses to pleasant stimuli, relative to cigarette-related stimuli, had more difficulty quitting smoking. For these individuals, the lack of alternative forms of reinforcement when nicotine deprived might be an important factor underlying relapse. Normalizing these pathological neuroadaptations may help them achieve abstinence.

Abstinence reverses EEG-indexed attention bias between drug-related and pleasant stimuli in cocaine-addicted individuals

“…Prior studies reported associations between increased attention bias toward drug-related cues and susceptibility to relapse. 11,12,[29][30][31][32][33] That relapse status did not have a significant impact on our results is not surprising because in the present study all individuals with CUD showed a significant reduction of drug use (in both abstinent and relapsed subgroups); however, additional longitudinal studies with longer follow-up are required.…”

“…Moreover, prospective neuroimaging studies modelling relapse vulnerability and future drug use have shown that reduced attention toward drug-related cues 11,12,[28][29][30] and increased attention toward non-drug-related reinforcers [31][32][33] predicted longer abstinence durations in individuals with substance use disorders. Although these studies are highly informative, many have been limited to the cross-sectional Background: Increased attention bias toward drug-related cues over non-drug-related intrinsically pleasant reinforcers is a hallmark of drug addiction.…”

“…24 Importantly, cross-sectional studies have shown that the LPP amplitude to drug-related cues is decreased 25,26 while that to non-drug-related cues is increased 19,27 after a period of reduced drug use (3 d to about 1 yr). Moreover, prospective neuroimaging studies modelling relapse vulnerability and future drug use have shown that reduced attention toward drug-related cues 11,12,[28][29][30] and increased attention toward non-drug-related reinforcers [31][32][33] predicted longer abstinence durations in individuals with substance use disorders. Although these studies are highly informative, many have been limited to the cross-sectional effects of shorter-term 19 or longer-term abstinence 25,31 relying mostly on self-reported follow-up assessments.…”

“…Although these studies are highly informative, many have been limited to the cross-sectional effects of shorter-term 19 or longer-term abstinence 25,31 relying mostly on self-reported follow-up assessments. 12,[28][29][30]32,33 An exception is a longitudinal behavioural study that reported reduced attention bias to drug-related cues (assessed via an emotional Stroop task) in heroin-addicted individuals after 3 weeks of heroin abstinence. 11 Thus, a systematic withinsubjects longer-term longitudinal investigation that examines the effects of drug use reduction/abstinence on attention bias to drug-related compared with non-drug-related reinforcers is lacking.…”

Smoking Abstinence-Induced Changes in Resting State Functional Connectivity with Ventral Striatum Predict Lapse During a Quit Attempt

“…Neuroimaging studies of human smokers have consistently demonstrated heightened blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) response to smoking stimuli relative to neutral stimuli in the striatum and other interconnected brain regions (Buhler et al, 2010;David et al, 2005;Engelmann et al, 2012;McClernon et al, 2009;Sweitzer et al, 2013). Furthermore, alterations in striatal processing of smoking and other rewarding stimuli have been associated with increased craving (Sweitzer et al, 2013) and predict smoking behavior (Versace et al, 2014;Wilson et al, 2014).…”