Cue effects in human addiction: Pavlovian to instrumental transfer (TRR 265, Project B03))
Individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) have to cope with drug-related cues and contexts, which can affect instrumental drug seeking as shown with Pavlovian to instrumental transfer (PIT) paradigms in animals and humans. This proposal addresses four key questions: First, we plan to assess whether acute and chronic stress exposure influences behavioral and neural PIT effects in alcohol use disorder (AUD), and whether such effects predict losing vs. regaining control in subjects with AUD (WP1). Our study thus complements the assessment of stress effects on instrumental behavior (B01:Endrass, Schlagenhauf) by focusing on stress effects interacting with Pavlovian mechanisms. Secondly, we will connect our work on PIT with research on cognitive control. WP2 will therefore investigate how sensitivity to conflict between Pavlovian and instrumental control during PIT is related to interference control at the stimulus and the response level, as well as to response inhibition in individuals with AUD. Thirdly, to compare PIT and its relation to cognitive control in different drugs of abuse, we will additionally investigate participants with tobacco use disorder (TUD) in WP2. Fourthly, we will complement our work on PIT and develop an outcome-specific PIT paradigm with alternative (food) and drug rewards (alcohol), and assess behavioral effects, effects of chronic stress, and their brain correlates in controls and AUD subjects (WP 3).
Principle Investigators
Prof. Dr. Dr. Andreas Heinz, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
PD Dr. Maximilian Pilhatsch, Technische Universität Dresden
Staff
Michael N. Smolka
Matthew Belanger
Funding
402170461 – TRR 265
Link
FP1 - Domain B: Collaborative Research Centre TRR 265: Losing and Regaining Control over Drug Intake
FP2 - Domain B: Collaborative Research Centre TRR 265: Losing and Regaining Control over Drug Intake