Changes in cue reactivity and attentional bias following experimental cue exposure and response prevention: a laboratory study of the effects of d-cycloserine in heavy drinkers

• Published in: Psychopharmacologia Vol. 217; no. 1; pp. 25 - 37
• Main Authors: Kamboj, Sunjeev K., Massey-Chase, Rachel, Rodney, Lydia, Das, Ravi, Almahdi, Basil, Curran, H. Valerie, Morgan, Celia J. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.09.2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Affect - drug effects; Aged; Alcohol Drinking - prevention & control; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Alcoholism; Alcoholism and acute alcohol poisoning; Analysis; Anxiety; Aspartate; Attention - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Care and treatment; Cognition & reasoning; Cues; Cycloserine; Cycloserine - administration & dosage; Cycloserine - therapeutic use; Double-Blind Method; Extinction, Psychological - drug effects; Female; Habituation, Psychophysiologic - drug effects; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Methyl aspartate; Middle Aged; Neurobiology; Neurosciences; Original Investigation; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Prevention; Principal Component Analysis; Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Response time; Surveys and Questionnaires; Toxicology; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult; United Kingdom; Hazardous drinking; Attentional bias; Cue reactivity; Extinction; Response prevention; Dependence; Alcohol; Cue exposure; Cycloserine; Habituation; Laboratory study; D-Cycloserine; Toxicity; Attention; Drinking; Substance abuse; Exposure; Prevention; Alcoholic beverage; Antibiotic; Antituberculous agent; Antibacterial agent; Public health; Cognitive bias
• ISSN: 0033-3158; 1432-2072
• DOI: 10.1007/s00213-011-2254-z

Rationale The effects of d -cycloserine (DCS) in animal models of anxiety disorders and addiction indicate a role for N -methyl d -aspartate (NMDA) receptors in extinction learning. Exposure/response prevention treatments for anxiety disorders in humans are enhanced by DCS, suggesting a promising co-therapy regime, mediated by NMDA receptors. Exposure/response prevention may also be effective in problematic drinkers, and DCS might enhance habituation to cues in these individuals. Since heavy drinkers show ostensible conditioned responses to alcohol cues, habituation following exposure/response prevention should be evident in these drinkers, with DCS enhancing this effect. Objectives The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of DCS on exposure/response prevention in heavy drinkers. Methods In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, heavy social drinkers recruited from the community received either DCS (125 mg; n  = 19) or placebo ( n  = 17) 1 h prior to each of two sessions of exposure/response prevention. Cue reactivity and attentional bias were assessed during these two sessions and at a third follow-up session. Between-session drinking behaviour was recorded. Results Robust cue reactivity and attentional bias to alcohol cues was evident, as expected of heavy drinkers. Within- and between-session habituation of cue reactivity, as well as a reduction in attentional bias to alcohol cues over time was found. However, there was no evidence of greater habituation in the DCS group. Subtle stimulant effects (increased subjective contentedness and euphoria) which were unrelated to exposure/response prevention were found following DCS. Conclusions DCS does not appear to enhance habituation of alcohol cue reactivity in heavy non-dependent drinkers. Its utility in enhancing treatments based on exposure/response prevention in dependent drinkers or drug users remains open.