Self ‐efficacy modulates the neural correlates of craving in male smokers and ex‐smokers: an fMRI study

We examined whether self‐efficacy can affect the neural response to smoking cues in smokers and ex‐smokers using functional magnetic resonance imaging. During scanning, participants were instructed (1) to view smoking‐related images passively, (2) to view the smoking‐related images with a strategy focused on self‐efficacy to control cue‐induced craving or (3) to view neutral images. In smokers, the self‐efficacy strategy significantly reduced self‐reported craving. This strategy was related to increased activation in the rostral medial prefrontal cortex (rmPFC) and the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex in smokers compared with ex‐smokers. Furthermore, smokers showed increased effective connectivity between rmPFC and hippocampus and between pregenual anterior cingulate cortex and parahippocampus gyrus when employing the self‐efficacy strategy compared with ex‐smokers. The magnitude of the rmPFC–hippocampus connectivity was positively correlated with self‐reported self‐efficacy. Our findings suggest that in smokers, self‐efficacy is related to activation and connectivity in brain regions involved in regulating craving and self‐assessment. The current study provides evidence for understanding the vunderlying cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms involved in the control of craving to smoke cigarettes. We examined whether self‐efficacy can affect the neural response to smoking cues in smokers and ex‐smokers using functional magnetic resona...
Source: Addiction Biology - Category: Addiction Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research