Extinction and renewal of cue-elicited reward-seeking

• Published in: Behaviour research and therapy Vol. 87; pp. 162 - 169
• Main Authors: Bezzina, Louise, Lee, Jessica C., Lovibond, Peter F., Colagiuri, Ben
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2016; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Behavior modification; Behavioral psychology; Chocolate; Conditioning, Classical; Conditioning, Operant; Cue-exposure therapy; Cues; Drug abuse; Eating behavior; Extinction; Extinction behavior; Extinction, Psychological; Female; Healthy food; Humans; Male; Motivation; Pavlovian-instrumental transfer; Psychological extinction; Reactivity; Reinforcement; Relapse; Renewal; Reward; Reward-seeking; Rewards; Transfer (Psychology); Volunteers; Young Adult; Relapse; Pavlovian-instrumental transfer; Cue-exposure therapy; Renewal; Reward-seeking
• ISSN: 0005-7967; 1873-622X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2016.09.009

Reward cues can contribute to overconsumption of food and drugs and can relapse. The failure of exposure therapies to reduce overconsumption and relapse is generally attributed to the context-specificity of extinction. However, no previous study has examined whether cue-elicited reward-seeking (as opposed to cue-reactivity) is sensitive to context renewal. We tested this possibility in 160 healthy volunteers using a Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT) design involving voluntary responding for a high value natural reward (chocolate). One reward cue underwent Pavlovian extinction in the same (Group AAA) or different context (Group ABA) to all other phases. This cue was compared with a second non-extinguished reward cue and an unpaired control cue. There was a significant overall PIT effect with both reward cues eliciting reward-seeking on test relative to the unpaired cue. Pavlovian extinction substantially reduced this effect, with the extinguished reward cue eliciting less reward-seeking than the non-extinguished reward cue. Most interestingly, extinction of cue-elicited reward-seeking was sensitive to renewal, with extinction less effective for reducing PIT when conducted in a different context. These findings have important implications for extinction-based interventions for reducing maladaptive reward-seeking in practice. •Reward cues can elicit reward-seeking via Pavlovian-instrumental transfer.•Extinction reduces the ability of the reward cue to elicit reward-seeking.•Reward-seeking following extinction renews when tested in a different context.