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Evoked craving in high-dose benzodiazepine users
Lorenzo Zamboni1,2, Giulia Benvegnù3, Francesca Fusina4
1Unit of Addiction Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Integrated University Hospital of Verona, Policlinico "G.B. Rossi", Verona, Italy.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
|April 28, 2025
Summary
Virtual reality (VR) shows promise in understanding benzodiazepine (BDZ) addiction. This study suggests environmental cues in VR can trigger craving responses in high-dose BDZ abusers, aiding addiction research.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Benzodiazepine (BDZ) abuse is a significant global health issue.
- High-dose BDZ abuse represents a specific addiction subtype.
- Cue reactivity (CR) exacerbates craving and relapse risk in substance use disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To implement a virtual reality (VR) protocol for assessing environmental cue-induced craving in BDZ abusers.
- To investigate the causal link between specific environmental features and craving in BDZ addiction.
- To explore correlations between BDZ craving and psychological/experiential variables.
Main Methods:
- Development and application of a VR-based CR paradigm.
- Comparison of craving and associated variables between BDZ abusers and control groups.
- Assessment of mood, affect, attention, presence, and cybersickness within VR environments.
Main Results:
- Environmental cues in VR appear to elicit conditioned craving responses in high-dose BDZ abusers.
- VR environments demonstrated potential in differentiating BDZ abusers from controls based on craving levels.
- Further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Conclusions:
- Virtual reality offers a realistic and effective platform for studying environmental craving in BDZ addiction.
- VR simulations can be valuable tools for addiction research and potential therapeutic interventions.
- The study highlights the role of environmental conditioning in BDZ craving.
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