TY  - JOUR
A1  - Sommer, C.
A1  - Garbusow, Maria
A1  - Juenger, E.
A1  - Pooseh, S.
A1  - Bernhardt, Nadine
A1  - Birkenstock, J.
A1  - Schad, Daniel
A1  - Jabs, B.
A1  - Gloeckler, T.
A1  - Huys, Quentin J. M.
A1  - Heinz, A.
A1  - Smolka, Michael N.
A1  - Zimmermann, Ulrich S.
T1  - Strong seduction: impulsivity and the impact of contextual cues on instrumental behavior in alcohol dependence
JF  - Translational Psychiatry
N2  - Alcohol-related cues acquire incentive salience through Pavlovian conditioning and then can markedly affect instrumental behavior of alcohol-dependent patients to promote relapse. However, it is unclear whether similar effects occur with alcohol-unrelated cues. We tested 116 early-abstinent alcohol-dependent patients and 91 healthy controls who completed a delay discounting task to assess choice impulsivity, and a Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) paradigm employing both alcohol-unrelated and alcohol-related stimuli. To modify instrumental choice behavior, we tiled the background of the computer screen either with conditioned stimuli (CS) previously generated by pairing abstract pictures with pictures indicating monetary gains or losses, or with pictures displaying alcohol or water beverages. CS paired to money gains and losses affected instrumental choices differently. This PIT effect was significantly more pronounced in patients compared to controls, and the group difference was mainly driven by highly impulsive patients. The PIT effect was particularly strong in trials in which the instrumental stimulus required inhibition of instrumental response behavior and the background CS was associated to monetary gains. Under that condition, patients performed inappropriate approach behavior, contrary to their previously formed behavioral intention. Surprisingly, the effect of alcohol and water pictures as background stimuli resembled that of aversive and appetitive CS, respectively. These findings suggest that positively valenced background CS can provoke dysfunctional instrumental approach behavior in impulsive alcohol-dependent patients. Consequently, in real life they might be easily seduced by environmental cues to engage in actions thwarting their long-term goals. Such behaviors may include, but are not limited to, approaching alcohol.
Y1  - 2017
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1038/tp.2017.158
SN  - 2158-3188
VL  - 7
SP  - 1209
EP  - 1222
PB  - Nature Publ. Group
CY  - New York
ER  - 
TY  - GEN
A1  - Sebold, Miriam Hannah
A1  - Garbusow, Maria
A1  - Nebe, S.
A1  - Sundmacher, L.
A1  - Kuitunen-Paul, Sören
A1  - Wittchen, H. U.
A1  - Smolka, M.
A1  - Zimmermann, U.
A1  - Rapp, Michael A.
A1  - Huys, Q.
A1  - Schlagenhauf, Florian
A1  - Heinz, A.
T1  - From goals to habits in alcohol dependence
BT  - association with treatment outcome and cognitive bias modification training
T2  - European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists
Y1  - 2018
SN  - 0924-9338
SN  - 1778-3585
VL  - 48
SP  - S274
EP  - S274
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - Paris
ER  - 
TY  - GEN
A1  - Garbusow, Maria
A1  - Sommer, C.
A1  - Nebe, S.
A1  - Sebold, Miriam Hannah
A1  - Kuitunen-Paul, Sören
A1  - Wittchen, H. U.
A1  - Smolka, M.
A1  - Zimmermann, U.
A1  - Rapp, Michael A.
A1  - Huys, Q.
A1  - Schlagenhauf, Florian
A1  - Heinz, A.
T1  - Pavlovian-instrumental transfer in the course of alcohol use disorder
T2  - European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists
N2  - Background: Pavlovian processes are thought to play an important role in the development, maintenance and relapse of alcohol dependence, possibly by influencing and usurping on- going thought and behavior. The influence of Pavlovian stimuli on on-going behavior is paradigmatically measured by Pavlovian-to-instrumental-transfer (PIT) tasks. These involve multiple stages and are complex. Whether increased PIT is involved in human alcohol
dependence is uncertain. We therefore aimed to establish and validate a modified PIT paradigm that would be robust, consistent, and tolerated by healthy controls as well as by patients suffering from alcohol dependence, and to explore whether alcohol dependence is associated with enhanced Pavlovian-Instrumental transfer.

Methods: 32 recently detoxified alcohol-dependent patients and 32 age and gender matched healthy controls performed a PIT task with instrumental go/no-go approach behaviours. The task involved both Pavlovian stimuli associated with monetary rewards and losses, and images of drinks.

Results: Both patients and healthy controls showed a robust and temporally stable PIT effect. Strengths of PIT effects to drug-related and monetary conditioned stimuli were highly correlated. Patients more frequently showed a PIT effect and the effect was stronger in response to aversively conditioned CSs (conditioned suppression), but there was no group difference in response to appetitive CSs.

Conclusion: The implementation of PIT has favorably robust properties in chronic alcohol- dependent patients and in healthy controls. It shows internal consistency between monetary and drug-related cues. The findings support an association of alcohol dependence with an increased propensity towards PIT.
Y1  - 2018
SN  - 0924-9338
SN  - 1778-3585
VL  - 48
SP  - S546
EP  - S546
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - ISSY-LES-MOULINEAUX
ER  -