The ‘Go’s and the ‘No-Go’s of response-inhibition training to food: lessons learned from trials

This is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordHigh food-reward sensitivity and low inhibitory control are modifiable targets for overeating interventions. Our review of 16 food-related response-inhibition training (RIT) trials identified key elements linked to effectiveness, including recruiting from at-risk populations (i.e. those with overweight or heightened snacking behaviour), and designing intervention tasks to support bottom-up, associative (food-inhibition) learning. The optimal comparison condition depends on the research question, but the most consistent training effects have been seen relative to generalised (non-food) RIT. Trial outcomes should prioritise objective and validated measures (e.g. weight loss and explicit food devaluation). Future trials should consider unanswered questions such as training schedules and timing, and whether training people to ‘go’ to healthy foods can increase their appeal

A randomised controlled trial examining the efficacy of smoking-related response inhibition training in smokers: A study protocol

This is the final version. Available on open access from BMC via the DOI in this recordsAvailability of data and materials: The syntax and full analysis plan will be made available on the Open Science Framework and the dataset made available by contacting the first author.Background: Smoking is one of the leading preventable causes of illness and premature death worldwide. Despite a variety of effective treatments, relapse rates remain high, and novel, innovative interventions are needed in order to reduce the global prevalence of smoking. Research has indicated that deficits in the ability to inhibit a response (referred to as response inhibition) is a predictor of relapse and subsequently, targeting this potentially modifiable risk factor may lead to improvements in smoking outcomes. Indeed, in recent years, stimulus-specific response inhibition training has emerged as a potentially efficacious intervention to reduce unwanted/unhealthy behaviours such as alcohol and unhealthy food consumption. As such, the present trial is the first to evaluate the real-world efficacy of response inhibition smoking training (INST) in a sample of adult heavy smokers. Methods/design: This randomised controlled trial will recruit nicotine dependent smokers aged between 18 and 60 using social media and advertisements in Victoria, Australia. The sample target was 150 to account for drop out and non-adherence. Once informed consent has been obtained, participants complete a range of baseline measures during a face to face interview. Participants are randomly allocated to one of two online training conditions: an intervention training group (INST), which requires participants to exercise response inhibition towards smoking-related stimuli; or an active control group, which requires participants to exercise response inhibition towards household items and does not include any smoking-related stimuli. They complete the first training session during the interview to ensure the training protocol is clear. Both groups are instructed to complete a further 13 training sessions (1 per day) at home on their computer and follow-up phone calls will be conducted at three time points: post-intervention, one-month and three months. The primary outcomes are: a) rates of smoking cessation and; b) reduction in the quantity of average daily smoking at post-intervention, one and three months follow-up. Discussion: There is a pressing need to develop novel and innovative smoking interventions. If proven to be effective, INST could make a highly cost-effective contribution to improvements in smoking intervention outcomes. Trial registration: The trial was prospectively registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry 17th February 2017. Trial ID: ACTRN12617000252314.Deakin Universit

A randomized controlled trial of inhibitory control training for smoking cessation and reduction

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the American Psychological Association via the DOI in this recordObjective: The high rates of illness and mortality associated with cigarette smoking necessitate the development of novel reduction and cessation treatments. Inhibitory control training (ICT) has recently emerged as a potentially efficacious intervention to reduce the consumption of alcohol and unhealthy food. This randomized controlled trial was the first to investigate the effect of Internet-delivered ICT on cigarette consumption in a community sample of heavy smokers. Method: For the present study, 107 adult smokers (mean age = 46.15 years; 57 female) who smoked a minimum of 10 cigarettes per day and met criteria for a moderate or severe tobacco use disorder were recruited. Participants were randomly allocated to receive go/no-go training in which either smoking stimuli (intervention) or nonsmoking stimuli (control) were paired with no-go signals and were instructed to complete 1 training session per day over a 2-week period. This trial was preregistered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (Trial ID: ACTRN12617000252314). Results: We found no significant differences between conditions on percentage of days abstinent or daily cigarette consumption, although there was a significant decrease in daily cigarette consumption across both conditions. Further, we found no significant moderating effects of impulsivity on the relationship between cigarette consumption and the 2 tasks. Conclusions: Although participants in both conditions reduced their daily cigarette consumption, the intervention task was no more successful than the control task was in achieving cigarette abstinence or reduction.Deakin Universit

A randomised controlled trial of inhibitory control training for smoking cessation: Outcomes, mediators and methodological considerations.

This is the final version. Available from Frontiers Media via the DOI in this record. The datasets presented in this article are not readily available because the authors do not have ethics approval to make the dataset public. Requests to access the datasets should be directed to PS, [email protected]: Inhibitory control training (ICT) has shown promise for improving health behaviours, however, less is known about its mediators of effectiveness. The current paper reports whether ICT reduces smoking-related outcomes such as craving and nicotine dependence, increases motivation to quit and whether reductions in smoking or craving are mediated by response inhibition or a devaluation of smoking stimuli. Method: Adult smokers (minimum 10 cigarettes per day; N = 107, M age = 46.15 years, 57 female) were randomly allocated to receive 14 days of smoking-specific ICT (named INST; a go/no-go task where participants were trained to not respond to smoking stimuli) or active control training (participants inhibited responding toward neutral stimuli). Participants were followed up to 3-months post-intervention. This trial was preregistered (Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ID: ACTRN12617000252314; URL: https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=370204). Results: There were no significant differences between ICT and active control training groups. Specifically, participants in both groups showed significant reductions in craving, nicotine dependence, motivation and a devaluation (reduced evaluation) of smoking-stimuli up to 3-months follow-up compared to baseline. Inhibition and devaluation of smoking stimuli did not act as mediators. Devaluation of smoking stimuli was an independent predictor of smoking and craving at follow-up. Conclusion: Inhibitory control training (ICT) was no more effective at reducing smoking-related outcomes compared to the active control group, however, significant improvements in craving, dependence indicators and evaluation of smoking stimuli were observed across both groups. A return to basic experimental research may be required to understand the most effective ICT approach to support smoking cessation.Deakin Universit

Social identity differentiation predicts commitment to sobriety and wellbeing in residents of therapeutic communities

© 2019 Rationale: Therapeutic communities (TC) for alcohol and other drug treatment rely strongly on social factors as agents of recovery; an approach known as ‘community-as-method’. This study adopted a social identity approach in examining the relative strength of participants' recovery group identity and substance using group identity at admission (T1) and after six months (T2) in a TC. Objectives: Were to investigate whether identity differentiation – the extent to which respondents see themselves more as belonging to recovery groups than belonging to substance using groups – (a) is related to individuals' primary substance of concern (i.e., amphetamine type stimulants; alcohol; other drugs), and (b) predicts positive indicators of recovery six months after entering a therapeutic community. Method: Adults (N = 307) entering one of five Australian therapeutic communities (TC) completed measures of identification (user, recovery), commitment to sobriety, psychological distress, and personal wellbeing. Results: Participants' endorsement of the user and recovery identity at T1 and T2 did not differ as a function of primary substance of concern. User identity diminished over the six months while recovery identity remained high, regardless of primary drug category. Identity differentiation measured at T2 accounted for 20–25% variance in commitment to sobriety and wellbeing, after accounting for participant demographics, addiction severity, and T1 identity variables. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of the relative strength of recovery over substance use related identities in supporting recovery indicators and the central role of the TC in supporting this trajectory

Five-Factor Model personality profiles of drug users

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Personality traits are considered risk factors for drug use, and, in turn, the psychoactive substances impact individuals' traits. Furthermore, there is increasing interest in developing treatment approaches that match an individual's personality profile. To advance our knowledge of the role of individual differences in drug use, the present study compares the personality profile of tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, and heroin users and non-users using the wide spectrum Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality in a diverse community sample.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Participants (<it>N </it>= 1,102; mean age = 57) were part of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) program in Baltimore, MD, USA. The sample was drawn from a community with a wide range of socio-economic conditions. Personality traits were assessed with the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R), and psychoactive substance use was assessed with systematic interview.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Compared to never smokers, current cigarette smokers score lower on Conscientiousness and higher on Neuroticism. Similar, but more extreme, is the profile of cocaine/heroin users, which score very high on Neuroticism, especially Vulnerability, and very low on Conscientiousness, particularly Competence, Achievement-Striving, and Deliberation. By contrast, marijuana users score high on Openness to Experience, average on Neuroticism, but low on Agreeableness and Conscientiousness.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In addition to confirming high levels of negative affect and impulsive traits, this study highlights the links between drug use and low Conscientiousness. These links provide insight into the etiology of drug use and have implications for public health interventions.</p

Coordinated Activation of Candidate Proto-Oncogenes and Cancer Testes Antigens via Promoter Demethylation in Head and Neck Cancer and Lung Cancer

Background: Epigenetic alterations have been implicated in the pathogenesis of solid tumors, however, proto-oncogenes activated by promoter demethylation have been sporadically reported. We used an integrative method to analyze expression in primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and pharmacologically demethylated cell lines to identify aberrantly demethylated and expressed candidate proto-oncogenes and cancer testes antigens in HNSCC. Methodology/Principal Findings: We noted coordinated promoter demethylation and simultaneous transcriptional upregulation of proto-oncogene candidates with promoter homology, and phylogenetic footprinting of these promoters demonstrated potential recognition sites for the transcription factor BORIS. Aberrant BORIS expression correlated with upregulation of candidate proto-oncogenes in multiple human malignancies including primary non-small cell lung cancers and HNSCC, induced coordinated proto-oncogene specific promoter demethylation and expression in non-tumorigenic cells, and transformed NIH3T3 cells. Conclusions/Significance: Coordinated, epigenetic unmasking of multiple genes with growth promoting activity occurs i

Cytoskeletal control of B cell responses to antigens.

The actin cytoskeleton is essential for cell mechanics and has increasingly been implicated in the regulation of cell signalling. In B cells, the actin cytoskeleton is extensively coupled to B cell receptor (BCR) signalling pathways, and defects of the actin cytoskeleton can either promote or suppress B cell activation. Recent insights from studies using single-cell imaging and biophysical techniques suggest that actin orchestrates BCR signalling at the plasma membrane through effects on protein diffusion and that it regulates antigen discrimination through the biomechanics of immune synapses. These mechanical functions also have a role in the adaptation of B cell subsets to specialized tasks during antibody responses