Attentional bias in smokers

Abstract

Basic cognitive processes as perception, attention and memory are involved in additive behaviors. Cognitive aspects of tobacco use such as the attentional bias toward smoking cues are important to understand smoking. With repeated use of cigarettes, environmental stimuli related to the effect of this drug catch the smoker attention in detriment of other stimuli, increase desire to smoke and lead to repeated drug taking. This paper presents a literature review of Medline, Pubmed and Lilacs databases (2000-2008) about current theoretical and methodological constraints on studying attentional bias in smokers. Studies showed that the attentional bias can occur during all processes of attention. However, contradictory results were found on studying how the level of nicotine dependence can modulate the stage of attention to be affected by attentional bias. The understanding of the methodological constrains contributes for the planning of more controlled future studies on attentional bias. Keywords: Smoking; attention; neuropsychology; tobacco.