Appetitive startle modulation in the human laboratory predicts Cannabis craving in the natural environment.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Drug-related cues evoke craving and stimulate motivational systems in the brain. The acoustic startle reflex captures activation of these motivational processes and affords a unique measure of reactivity to drug cues.

Objectives

This study examined the effects of cannabis-related cues on subjective and eye blink startle reactivity in the human laboratory and tested whether these effects predicted youth's cue-elicited cannabis craving in the natural environment.

Methods

Participants were 55 frequent cannabis users, ages 16 to 24 years (M = 19.9, SD = 1.9; 55% male; 56% met criteria for cannabis dependence), who were recruited from a clinical trial to reduce cannabis use. Eye blink electromyographic activity was recorded in response to acoustic probes that eli

SUBMITTER: Mereish EH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6015780 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature