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Differences in attentional bias to smoking-related, affective, and sensation-seeking cues between smokers and non-smokers: an eye-tracking study

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Abstract

Rationale

One of the behavioural features of tobacco use disorder is the presence of attentional bias (AB) to smoking-related stimuli. However, much of the research investigating these associations have been limited to the use of reaction-based indices.

Objectives

We aimed to investigate differences in AB to smoking, affective, and sensation-seeking cues in smokers and non-smokers using novel, free-viewing, eye-tracking technology. Secondary aims included investigating impulsivity-by-group interaction effects on AB to sensation-seeking cues.

Methods

Participants were either otherwise-healthy smokers of at least 8 cigarettes per day or otherwise-healthy non-smokers (< 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and no smoking in the past year). AB was measured using a free-viewing, eye-tracking system. Participants were presented a series of slides divided into 3 themes: smoking, affective, and sensation-seeking. Each slide contained 4 images (1 theme-related, 1 neutral, 2 competitive). Primary outcome measure was the difference in the proportion of time spent viewing the theme-related cue to neutral cue. Impulsivity was measured using a monetary delayed discounting task.

Results

The sample consisted of 50 smokers (41 ± 12 years old) and 50 age- and sex-matched non-smokers (40 ± 14 years old). Smokers spent over 2 times longer looking at smoking-related images than non-smokers (F = 25.50, p < 0.001). As well, greater impulsivity was significantly associated with increased AB to sensation-seeking cues (R2 = 0.059, F = 2.98, p = 0.04) in smokers but not non-smokers. No differences were found on AB to affective cues.

Conclusion

The eye-tracking procedure is a sensitive tool for assessing AB in smokers compared to non-smokers to both smoking and sensation-seeking cues.

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Funding

This research is funded by Global Research Awards for Nicotine Dependence (GRAND), a peer-reviewed research grant competition funded by Pfizer Inc (Zawertailo (GRAND2012) WS2391913).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Noreen Rahmani, Helena Zhang & Laurie Zawertailo

  2. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Nicotine Dependence Service, 1025 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON, M6J2H4, Canada

    Noreen Rahmani, Helena Zhang, Peter Selby & Laurie Zawertailo

  3. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Jonathan Chung

  4. Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Moshe Eizenman

  5. Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China

    Pingping Jiang

  6. Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Peter Selby

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  1. Noreen Rahmani
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  2. Jonathan Chung
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Correspondence to Laurie Zawertailo.

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The authors report the following potential competing interests: LZ and PS have received investigator-initiated funding from Pfizer Canada and Pfizer Inc. through the Global Research Awards in Nicotine Dependence (GRAND) that is independent of the work written in this manuscript.

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Rahmani, N., Chung, J., Eizenman, M. et al. Differences in attentional bias to smoking-related, affective, and sensation-seeking cues between smokers and non-smokers: an eye-tracking study. Psychopharmacology 239, 3711–3721 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-022-06245-y

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