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An in vivo Study of the Relationship between Craving and Reaction Time during Alcohol Detoxification Using the Ecological Momentary Assessment
Author(s) -
Lukasiewicz M,
Benyamina A,
Reynaud M,
Falissard B
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1097/01.alc.0000191760.42980.50
Subject(s) - craving , detoxification (alternative medicine) , sadness , anxiety , psychology , cognition , clinical psychology , psychiatry , anger , medicine , addiction , alternative medicine , pathology
A bstract : Background: To study cognitive interference associated with craving for alcohol, the Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) method was used to measure the relationship between craving and reaction time. A secondary aim was the study of the predictive factors for craving during alcohol detoxification. The EMA enables both repeated measures of craving in a natural setting and the recording of reaction time without the patient being aware of this. Methods: Craving for alcohol, reaction time, sadness and anxiety were recorded 8 to 12 times a day, over three weeks of detoxification in 14 alcoholics ( n = 1767 measures), on an electronic diary issuing random prompts. Mixed models were used for statistical analysis (α= 5%, 1‐β= 88%). Results: Reaction time was significantly increased in univariate analysis when a craving episode occurred but this difference did not persist after multivariate analysis. Craving episodes were more frequent and intense than previously reported. Predictive factors of craving during detoxification were: age, gender, sadness, anxiety and the number of previous detoxifications. Antidepressants, anticraving medications but not benzodiazepines were negatively associated to craving.