Selective cognitive processing of drug cues in heroin dependence

Previous studies provide evidence for the selective processing of disorder related stimuli on anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. There exist s ome preliminary indications that selective processing of drug cues may be i nvolved in drug craving and relapse that deserve further investigation. In order to investigate the role of processing bias in an abnormal motivationa l system, the attentional bias for drug related stimuli was studied in a he roin dependent population. Heroin dependent participants (n = 21) and contr ol participants (n = 30) performed a supra- and subliminal heroin Stroop ta sk and heroin craving was assessed. Heroin dependent participants showed a considerable attentional bias for supraliminally presented heroin cues. How ever, there was no evidence for a preattentive bias on the subliminal prese nted cues. Reaction time on heroin cues was significantly predicted by hero in craving-levels. Results indicate that selective processing may be relate d to motivational induced states in general. The finding are discussed in t he context of selective information processing in general psychopathology a nd in motivational processes as addiction specifically.