Losing and Regaining Control Over Drug Intake: Role of Pavlovian Mechanisms and Maladaptive Context Inference in Alcohol Use Disorder

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating how habitual behaviors and goal-directed control interact and differ in people with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) compared to those without substance use disorders. The study aims to understand whether stronger habits and conflicts between habitual and goal-directed actions relate to AUD, and to explore whether Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer (PIT) reflects automatic or controlled behavior. Additionally, the study seeks to confirm if severely dependent AUD patients show a stronger PIT effect than controls. Participants will complete behavioral tasks over two days. They will perform the Action Sequence Task (AST), which involves pressing keys in sequences linked to rewards, measuring automation and conflict between habitual and goal-directed responses. On the second day, they will also do the single-lever PIT task, involving learning to collect shells for money and responding to cues associated with gains or losses. Additional tasks include the Counting Stroop task and the No-go Simon task to assess interference and response inhibition. During the study, participants will undergo assessments including interviews and questionnaires about substance use and psychological traits. Researchers will measure task performance, error rates, and reaction times to evaluate habitual behavior and interference effects. The primary outcomes focus on results from the PIT and AST tasks, with secondary outcomes from the Stroop and Simon tasks. The study lasts for two days of testing, with a total participation time of a few hours.

Assessing Habitual, Goal-Directed, and Pavlovian Influences in Alcohol Use Disorder