Decreased alcohol consumption after pairing alcohol-related cues with an inhibitory response

Alcohol-Specific Computerized Interventions to Alter Cognitive Biases: A Systematic Review of Effects on Experimental Tasks, Drinking Behavior, and Neuronal Activation

“…Two studies reported that GNGbased IT decreased positive implicit associations to alcohol (57,58), supporting the stimulus devaluation hypothesis. Yet, five subsequent studies were unable to replicate this effect for GNGbased IT (50,56,60,61,63) or SST-based IT (60). As the IAT effect originally motivated the conceptual framing of IT as a form of memory bias modification, this conceptualization seems questionable in light of this current summary.…”

“…No generalization was observed on automatic action tendencies (58) nor on a stimulus response compatibility task (61).…”

“…The effects of alcohol-specific IT on inhibitory control have been investigated in six studies: Regarding SST-based IT, one study reported a selective decrease in inhibition errors in alcoholrelated stop trials when comparing the first to the last training block which might indicate an improvement of inhibitory control (59), while another study reported no effects on the SST (60). Regarding GNG-based IT, four studies reported no effects on inhibitory control as indicated by an SST (50,58,60,61) or by reaction times during Go-trials on a GNG (50). Strickland et al (64) reported a decrease in errors of commission (EOCs) during training, but could not compare this finding to a control group.…”

A Roadmap for Integrating Neuroscience Into Addiction Treatment: A Consensus of the Neuroscience Interest Group of the International Society of Addiction Medicine

“…Di Lemma and Field (176) reported reduced alcohol consumption in a bogus taste test after a single session of ICT or cue-avoidance training (approach bias modification). Others have observed reduced alcohol consumption 1 and 2 weeks after ICT (163,177,180). These findings highlight the promise of ICT though there remains a paucity of research assessing long-term drinking outcomes outside of laboratory settings.…”

“…A recent RCT of 120 heavily drinking students found that a single session of either ICT or approach bias modification (ApBM, described below) led to significant reductions in alcohol consumption relative to matched controls (176). Similarly, Kilwein et al (177) found that a single session of ICT (GNG) reduced alcohol consumption and alcohol approach tendencies in a small sample (n = 23) of heavily drinking men (177). Despite these promising findings, each of the aforementioned ICT studies used community samples, and it has not yet been established whether these results will generalise to treatment seekers.…”