Understanding Attentional Biases in Severe Alcohol Use Disorder: A Combined Behavioral and Eye-Tracking Perspective.

in Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire) (2021), 56(1), 1-7

RATIONALE: Severe alcohol use disorder (SAUD) is a psychiatric condition linked to cerebral and cognitive consequences. SAUD is notably characterized by an overactivation of the reflexive/reward system ... [more ▼]

RATIONALE: Severe alcohol use disorder (SAUD) is a psychiatric condition linked to cerebral and cognitive consequences. SAUD is notably characterized by an overactivation of the reflexive/reward system when confronted with alcohol-related cues. Such overreactivity generates a preferential allocation of attentional resources toward these cues, labeled as attentional biases (AB). Theoretical assumptions have been made regarding the characteristics of AB and their underlying processes. While often considered as granted, these assumptions remain to be experimentally validated. AIMS: We first identify the theoretical assumptions made by previous studies exploring the nature and role of AB. We then discuss the current evidence available to establish their validity. We finally propose research avenues to experimentally test them. METHODS: Capitalizing on a narrative review of studies exploring AB in SAUD, the current limits of the behavioral measures used for their evaluation are highlighted as well as the benefits derived from the use of eye-tracking measures to obtain a deeper understanding of their underlying processes. We describe the issues related to the theoretical proposals on AB and propose research avenues to test them. Four experimental axes are proposed, respectively, related to the determination of (a) the genuine nature of the mechanisms underlying AB; (b) their stability over the disease course; (c) their specificity to alcohol-related stimuli and (d) their reflexive or controlled nature. CONCLUSIONS: This in-depth exploration of the available knowledge related to AB in SAUD, and of its key limitations, highlights the theoretical and clinical interest of our innovative experimental perspectives capitalizing on eye-tracking measures. [less ▲]

A review of studies exploring fetal alcohol spectrum disorders through eye tracking measures.

in Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry (2020), 103

The widespread cognitive and cerebral consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure have been established during the last decades, through the exploration of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) using ... [more ▼]

The widespread cognitive and cerebral consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure have been established during the last decades, through the exploration of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) using neuropsychological and neuroscience tools. This research field has recently benefited from the emergence of innovative measures, among which eye tracking, allowing a precise measure of the eye movements indexing a large range of cognitive functions. We propose a comprehensive review, based on PRISMA guidelines, of the eye tracking studies performed in populations with FASD. Studies were selected from the PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus databases, and were evaluated through a standardized methodological quality assessment. Studies were classified according to the eye tracking indexes recorded (saccade characteristics, initial fixation, number of fixations, dwell time, gaze pattern) and the process measured (perception, memory, executive functions). Eye tracking data showed that FASD are mostly associated with impaired ocular perceptive/motor abilities (i.e., altered eye movements, centrally for saccade initiation), lower accuracy as well as increased error rates in saccadic eye movements involving working memory abilities, and reduced inhibitory control on saccades. After identifying the main limitations presented by the reviewed studies, we propose guidelines for future research, underlining the need to increase the standardization of diagnosis and evaluation tools, and to improve the methodological quality of eye tracking measures. [less ▲]

Eye Tracking Studies Exploring Cognitive and Affective Processes among Alcohol Drinkers: a Systematic Review and Perspectives.

in Neuropsychology review (2020)

Acute alcohol intoxication and alcohol use disorders are characterized by a wide range of psychological and cerebral impairments, which have been widely explored using neuropsychological and ... [more ▼]

Acute alcohol intoxication and alcohol use disorders are characterized by a wide range of psychological and cerebral impairments, which have been widely explored using neuropsychological and neuroscientific techniques. Eye tracking has recently emerged as an innovative tool to renew this exploration, as eye movements offer complementary information on the processes underlying perceptive, attentional, memory or executive abilities. Building on this, the present systematic and critical literature review provides a comprehensive overview of eye tracking studies exploring cognitive and affective processes among alcohol drinkers. Using PRISMA guidelines, 36 papers that measured eye movements among alcohol drinkers were extracted from three databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus). They were assessed for methodological quality using a standardized procedure, and categorized based on the main cognitive function measured, namely perceptive abilities, attentional bias, executive function, emotion and prevention/intervention. Eye tracking indexes showed that alcohol-related disorders are related to: (1) a stable pattern of basic eye movement impairments, particularly during alcohol intoxication; (2) a robust attentional bias, indexed by increased dwell times for alcohol-related stimuli; (3) a reduced inhibitory control on saccadic movements; (4) an increased pupillary reactivity to visual stimuli, regardless of their emotional content; (5) a limited visual attention to prevention messages. Perspectives for future research are proposed, notably encouraging the exploration of eye movements in severe alcohol use disorders and the establishment of methodological gold standards for eye tracking measures in this field. [less ▲]

Executive Impairments in Binge Drinking: Evidence for a Specific Performance-Monitoring Difficulty during Alcohol-Related Processing.

in European addiction research (2018), 24(3), 118-127

This study evaluated inhibition and performance-monitoring abilities through the explicit processing of alcohol cues. Twenty-two binge drinkers (BD) and 22 control participants performed a speeded Go/No ... [more ▼]

This study evaluated inhibition and performance-monitoring abilities through the explicit processing of alcohol cues. Twenty-two binge drinkers (BD) and 22 control participants performed a speeded Go/No-Go task using pictures of alcohol and soft cans as Go and No-Go targets. This task measures inhibitory control and performance monitoring (i.e., task adjustment through errors and feedback processing) during the explicit processing of alcohol cues. Groups did not significantly differ regarding inhibition abilities. However, BD had poorer performance-monitoring abilities, reflected by a difficulty to adjust after errors, especially when these errors were related to alcohol cues. These findings suggest that the explicit processing of alcohol cues negatively impacts cognitive abilities among BD. [less ▲]

Electrophysiological correlates of performance monitoring in binge drinking: impaired error-related but preserved feedback processing

in Clinical Neurophysiology (2017), 128

Objective: Performance monitoring, which allows efficient behavioral regulation using either internal (error processing) or external (feedback processing) cues, has not yet been explored in binge drinking ... [more ▼]

Objective: Performance monitoring, which allows efficient behavioral regulation using either internal (error processing) or external (feedback processing) cues, has not yet been explored in binge drinking despite its adaptive importance in everyday life, particularly in the regulation of alcohol consumption. Capitalizing on a theoretical model of risky behaviors, the present study aimed at determining the behavioral and electrophysiological correlates of the cognitive (inhibition) and motivational (reward sensitivity) systems during performance monitoring. Methods: Event-related potentials were recorded from 20 binge drinkers and 20 nonbinge drinkers during two experimental tasks, a speeded Go/No-Go Task [investigating internal error processing by Error-Related Negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe)] and a Balloon Analogue Risk Task [investigating external feedback processing by Feedback-Related Negativity (FRN) and P3]. Results: While no group differences were observed at the behavioral level, electrophysiological results showed that binge drinkers, despite having intact feedback-related components, presented modified error-monitoring components (i.e. larger ERN amplitude, delayed Pe latency). Conclusions: Internal performance monitoring is impaired in binge drinkers, showing an abnormal automatic processing of response errors (ERN) and a decreased processing of their motivational significance (Pe). Significance: These results suggest that the electrophysiological correlates of inhibitory control allow identifying the specific binge drinking consumption pattern. [less ▲]

Electrophysiological correlates of problematic Internet use: Critical review and perspectives for future research.

in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2015), 59

Problematic behaviors have emerged with the exponential development of the Internet access, with some individuals failing to constrain their Internet use despite its negative impact on their daily lives ... [more ▼]

Problematic behaviors have emerged with the exponential development of the Internet access, with some individuals failing to constrain their Internet use despite its negative impact on their daily lives. Recent neuropsychological and neuroscience studies have suggested that problematic Internet use is notably associated with increased cue-reactivity and reduced inhibitory control. This review of the electroencephalography (EEG) literature shows that most studies have found that impaired self-control abilities (i.e., inhibition and error monitoring) are associated with underactivated frontal regions in problematic Internet users (PIUs). However, some EEG studies in the domain have also demonstrated alterations in the processing of Internet-related cues and emotional stimuli. As a whole, these data therefore suggest that both reflective (top-down) and automatic/affective (bottom-up) systems, postulated by dual-process models as being determinants in decision making, are impaired among PIUs. On this basis, new research avenues are proposed to better understand the development and maintenance of problematic Internet use, according to six main directions respectively related to (1) the identification of vulnerability biomarkers, (2) the investigation of possible lower level cognitive impairments, (3) the exploration of core reflective and automatic/affective symptoms, (4) the evaluation of Internet use heterogeneity and comorbidities, (5) the development of new neuroscience strategies and (6) the elaboration of behavioral and cognitive interventions. [less ▲]