Pupil size as a robust marker of attentional bias toward nicotine-related stimuli in smokers

Bibliographic Data

ID21641399
AuthorsElvio Blini (0000-0002-7181-5763, University of Padua, corresponding author), Marco Zorzi (0000-0002-4651-6390, University of Padua)
Year2023
Volume30
Issue2
Pages596-607
Publication date2023-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePsychonomic Bulletin & Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1069-9384 • E-ISSN: 1531-5320
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.3758/s13423-022-02192-z
PMID36229711
OpenAlexW4305072223
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited75

Spatial attention can be magnetically attracted by behaviorally salient stimuli. This phenomenon occasionally conflicts with behavioral goals, leading to maladaptive consequences, as in the case of addiction, in which attentional biases have been described and linked with clinically meaningful variables, such as craving level or dependence intensity. Here, we sought to probe the markers of attentional priority in smokers through eye-tracking measures, by leveraging the established link between eye movements and spatial attention. We were particularly interested in potential markers related to pupil size, because pupil diameter reflects a range of autonomic, affective, and cognitive/attentional reactions to behaviorally significant stimuli and is a robust marker of appetitive and aversive learning. We found that changes in pupil size to nicotine-related visual stimuli could reliably predict, in cross-validated logistic regression, the smoking status of young smokers (showing pupil constriction) better than more traditional proxy measures. The possibility that pupil constriction may reflect a bias toward central vision, for example, attentional capture, is discussed in terms of sensory tuning with respect to nicotine-related stimuli. Pupil size was more sensitive at lower nicotine dependence levels, and at increased abstinence time (though these two variables were collinear). We conclude that pupillometry can provide a robust marker for attentional priority computation and useful indications regarding motivational states and individual attitudes toward conditioned stimuli

Addiction · Arousal · Attentional bias · Audiology · Cognition · Cognitive psychology · Craving · Developmental psychology · Nicotine · Pupil · Pupil size · Pupillary response · Pupillometry · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies · Neuroscience · Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies · Psychology

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