Role of Aggressivity on Reactivity and Craving before and after Cue Exposure in Recently Detoxified Alcoholics: Results from an Experimental Study

Abstract

The role of aggressivity and cue exposure in induction of craving were investigated in a clinical setting. Thirty abstinent alcoholic patients were divided into a low and a high aggressive group based on scores on the physical aggression subscale of the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory and exposed to alcohol cues. Craving was measured by means of the Alcohol Craving Questionnaire (ACQ) and Visual Analogue Scales (VAS). Important findings are: (1) main effects of aggressivity on ‘emotionality’, ‘purposefulness’ and ‘expectancy’ of ACQ were very significant; (2) on ‘drinking intention’ and ‘craving for alcohol’ of VAS, aggressivity and cue exposure showed a significant interaction; (3) the main effect of cue exposure on heart rate also reached a significance level of 0.007. The results were discussed in the context of the Classical, Operant Conditioning Theory, the Cognitive Craving Theory of Tiffany, Gilbert’s STAR Model, and the Self-Medication Hypothesis

Effects of Irritability on Craving before and after Cue Exposure in Abstinent Alcoholic Inpatients: Experimental Data on Subjective Response and Heart Rate

“…As irritability and aggressivity significantly correlate with each other (r = 0.41, p = 0.02), the present results correspond with our earlier report concerning the relationship between aggressivity and craving [Chiang et al, 2001]. A comparison between the results is summarized in table 7.…”

“…This model posits that situational and trait factors could influence drug urges/craving, drug choice, affect modulation of drugs, abstinence moods, drug use as well as relapse and hypothesizes that a set of relatively lateralized and localized brain systems underlie bioinformation processing associated with these processes, states, and traits. Our recent findings likewise point to a strong association between aggressivity and craving [Chiang et al, 2001].…”

“…So far, except for our previous report concerning the impact of aggressivity on craving for alcohol [Chiang et al, 2001], there has not been found any other experimental evidence indicating a relationship between craving for alcohol and personality. From a conceptual point of view, irritablity may be a normal mood or personality trait, while increased levels of irritability may be symptomatic of certain disorders [Snaith and Tylor, 1985] or predispose to others, e.g.…”

“…Details on sample acquisition and personality questionnaires have been given elsewhere [Chiang et al, 2001]. A total of 36 male alcoholic inpatients of the Psychiatric Hospital of Munich University, Germany took part in this study.…”

“…Irritability, defined as the propensity to experience and express anger following actual or perceived provocation and as an inclination toward behavioral disinhibition, is a component of the liability to alcohol and drug abuse [Tarter et al, 1995]. The trait irritability is among the most salient features of an antisocial personality disorder [Lewis et al, 1985;Moss et al, 1990;Verheul et al, 1998] and encompasses both the emotional and aggressive facets of dysregulation [Tarter et al, 1995;Chiang et al, 2001].…”