Differences in attentional bias to smoking-related, affective, and sensation-seeking cues between smokers and...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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