Salient cue reactivity and eating behaviours in ex-smokers, abstinent alcohol use disorder and obesity
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Introduction: Neural cue reactivity is increasingly being investigated as a biomarker of treatment response
and relapse prediction in addiction disorders. Whilst aberrant brain responses to salient cues (e.g. drugs)
have been widely reported in addiction, it is unclear whether these brain responses persist during longer
term abstinence, how they compare between substance use disorder and obesity, and relate to potential
differences in eating behaviours. As part of the Gut Hormones in ADDiction (GHADD) neuroimaging study,
we investigated how salient cue reactivity to drugs or food, craving and eating behaviours compare in three
clinical populations where alterations have been previously observed: abstinent nicotine use disorder (NUD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD), and obesity.
Methods: This study compared group differences in salient cue reactivity and eating behaviours between ex
smokers (n=25, ExS), adults with alcohol dependence who are abstinent (n=26, AAD), adults with obesity who
were actively dieting (n=26, OB). Participants completed a high-energy food, preferred alcohol and cigarette
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) cue reactivity task, along with eating behaviour
questionnaires, appetite visual analogues scales and an ad libitum test meal.
Results: ExS exhibited greater blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal to high-energy food pictures in
several reward processing regions in both whole brain and region of interest (ROI) analyses, compared with
the OB and AAD groups, with no difference in their appeal rating. Compared with the OB group, ExS exhibited greater BOLD signal to cigarette pictures in the frontal gyrus, orbitofrontal cortex, frontal pole and insula, with no difference in their appeal rating. There were no group differences in preferred alcohol cue reactivity. The AAD group rated sweet taste as more pleasant, and consumed more calories from sweet dishes in the ad libitum meal than the OB and ExS groups.
Conclusions: The presence of heightened cue reactivity to high-energy foods in ex-smokers could contribute
to post-quitting weight gain after smoking cessation. Neuroimaging findings were consistent with persistence
of some salient drug cue reactivity, despite absence of craving, after medium term abstinence in ExS, but not
in AAD. This study also adds to the body of evidence supporting a sweet taste preference endophenotype
predisposing individuals to AUD. These changes in eating behaviour in NUD and AUD may provide targets for treatments to reduce substance misuse and facilitate abstinence.
and relapse prediction in addiction disorders. Whilst aberrant brain responses to salient cues (e.g. drugs)
have been widely reported in addiction, it is unclear whether these brain responses persist during longer
term abstinence, how they compare between substance use disorder and obesity, and relate to potential
differences in eating behaviours. As part of the Gut Hormones in ADDiction (GHADD) neuroimaging study,
we investigated how salient cue reactivity to drugs or food, craving and eating behaviours compare in three
clinical populations where alterations have been previously observed: abstinent nicotine use disorder (NUD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD), and obesity.
Methods: This study compared group differences in salient cue reactivity and eating behaviours between ex
smokers (n=25, ExS), adults with alcohol dependence who are abstinent (n=26, AAD), adults with obesity who
were actively dieting (n=26, OB). Participants completed a high-energy food, preferred alcohol and cigarette
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) cue reactivity task, along with eating behaviour
questionnaires, appetite visual analogues scales and an ad libitum test meal.
Results: ExS exhibited greater blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal to high-energy food pictures in
several reward processing regions in both whole brain and region of interest (ROI) analyses, compared with
the OB and AAD groups, with no difference in their appeal rating. Compared with the OB group, ExS exhibited greater BOLD signal to cigarette pictures in the frontal gyrus, orbitofrontal cortex, frontal pole and insula, with no difference in their appeal rating. There were no group differences in preferred alcohol cue reactivity. The AAD group rated sweet taste as more pleasant, and consumed more calories from sweet dishes in the ad libitum meal than the OB and ExS groups.
Conclusions: The presence of heightened cue reactivity to high-energy foods in ex-smokers could contribute
to post-quitting weight gain after smoking cessation. Neuroimaging findings were consistent with persistence
of some salient drug cue reactivity, despite absence of craving, after medium term abstinence in ExS, but not
in AAD. This study also adds to the body of evidence supporting a sweet taste preference endophenotype
predisposing individuals to AUD. These changes in eating behaviour in NUD and AUD may provide targets for treatments to reduce substance misuse and facilitate abstinence.
Date Acceptance
2026-05-29
Citation
Frontiers in Psychiatry
ISSN
1664-0640
Publisher
Frontiers Media S.A.
Journal / Book Title
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Copyright Statement
Copyright This paper is embargoed until publication. Once published the Version of Record (VoR) will be available on immediate open access.
License URL
Subjects
Addiction Medicine
Alcohol Abstinence
Cigarette Smoking
Functional Neuroimaging
Obesity
Smoking Cessation
Publication Status
Accepted