title: Standardized stimuli to assess drug craving and drug memory in addicts.
abstract: Due to conditioning processes, originally neutral stimuli become drug-associated cues and can initiate drug craving. Standardized stimuli are required to assess stimulus-induced activation of drug memory and craving in brain imaging and neurophysiology studies. We developed substance-specific visual and olfactory stimuli for alcohol, tobacco, opiate and cannabis abuse and tested them in subjects with the respective addiction and in healthy volunteers. Stimulus-related drug craving differed significantly between the diagnostic groups and indicated that the stimuli are suitable for craving studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience Unit, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany. grusser@rz.hu-berlin.de
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Grüsser
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heinz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Flor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D009812:Odorants; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012903:Smell / Q000187:drug effects; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology