Eye Movement Evidence of Attentional Bias for Substance-Related Cues in Heroin Dependents on Methadone Maintenance Therapy.

BACKGROUND

Attentional biases toward substance-related stimuli might play a contributing role in addictive behaviors.

OBJECTIVES

This study investigated the selective attention to substance-related stimuli in heroin dependents receiving methadone maintenance therapy.

METHODS

Thirty outpatients receiving methadone maintenance treatment for heroin dependence and 38 healthy controls completed a visual probe task with concurrent eye movement monitoring.

RESULTS

The results showed that the heroin group reacted faster to probes associated with substance-related pictures than neutral pictures, and they directed more initial fixations and maintained longer initial fixation durations toward substance-related pictures than neutral pictures. However, attentional bias was not correlated with addiction severity in the heroin group.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that attentional bias towards substance-related cues occurs in heroin dependents, although this bias might not be associated with the severity of drug-using behavior.