Neural and behavioural correlates of habitual mechanisms in nicotine dependence

Yalachkov, Y., Kaiser, J., and Naumer, M. J.
Institut für Medizinische Psychologie, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main

Besides craving, habits play an important role in addiction. However, the neural and behavioural underpinnings of the corresponding drug-taking skills and action knowledge remain poorly understood. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the Fagerström-Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), and a behavioural orientation affordance paradigm were used to investigate the correlates of automatized drug-taking actions in nicotine dependence. Smoking-related images activated in smokers (in comparison to non-smokers and control images) not only brain regions important for craving, but also regions strongly implicated in the encoding of action knowledge and tool use skills. Furthermore, only the activation of tool- and action-associated regions correlated with the degree of nicotine dependence (as indicated by the FTND) and with automatized behavioural responses towards smoking-related stimuli (as measured by an affordance paradigm). Finally, the results from an fMRI study on multisensory integration mechanisms in smokers and their relevance for nicotine dependence will be discussed.

Symposium 11: Neural and behavioural correlates of addiction
11.06.2009, 16:00-17:00
Seminarraum 6