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Carry-over effects of smoking cue exposure on working memory performance
Stephen J Wilson1, Michael A Sayette, Julie A Fiez
1Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, and Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA. sjwilson@pitt.edu
Summary
Cigarette smoking cues impair working memory. Smokers showed worse performance on neutral tasks after viewing smoking-related images, highlighting carry-over effects in cognitive research.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience of Addiction
Background:
- Drug cues can impact cognitive functions in individuals with substance use disorders.
- Previous research suggests smoking cues affect cognitive processing, but methodological challenges exist.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of smoking-related cues on working memory performance in adult smokers.
- To examine the role of carry-over effects in cognitive tasks involving drug cues.
Main Methods:
- Adult smokers (N=23) completed a working memory task under 12-hour nicotine deprivation.
- Participants were exposed to smoking-related cues, neutral cues, or a fixation cross.
- Carry-over effects were analyzed by comparing performance on neutral trials preceded by smoking cues versus non-smoking cues.
Main Results:
- Smoking cue exposure led to impaired working memory performance on subsequent neutral trials (carry-over effect).
- Replication of previous findings on smoking cue effects on cognitive processing was achieved after accounting for carry-over effects.
- Carry-over effects significantly influenced the observed cognitive performance.
Conclusions:
- Smoking cues exert a detrimental effect on working memory, even on subsequent neutral trials.
- Methodological considerations, particularly carry-over effects, are crucial for accurately assessing cognitive impacts of drug cues.
- Findings underscore the importance of controlling for sequential effects in addiction research.
