Individuals with cannabis use disorders showed greater difficulty ignoring cannabis-related visual cues, more errors when cannabis images were present, and earlier brain responses to cannabis cues compared to healthy controls.
Addiction researchers, clinicians treating cannabis use disorder, and neuroscientists studying attentional biases.
Cannabis cues captured attention within 125-200 ms involuntarily
What the researchers found
Cannabis users had more difficulty ignoring cannabis distractors (selective attention failure), committed more errors when cannabis cues were present, and showed an augmented and earlier N1 ERP component (125-200 ms post-stimulus) to cannabis cues, indicating an involuntary early perceptual bias toward cannabis-related stimuli.
Why it matters
Attentional bias toward drug cues is a known driver of craving and relapse. This study shows that cannabis cues capture attention at a very early, automatic level in the brain, suggesting the bias is involuntary and hard to control.
The numbers in context
20 cannabis users, 20 controls. N1 component (125-200 ms) was earlier and larger in cannabis users for cannabis cues. More errors on cannabis-cue trials in users vs. controls.
How the study worked
Pilot study comparing 20 individuals with cannabis use disorders (mean age 26.2) and 20 healthy controls (mean age 28). Participants completed a visual attention task with cannabis-related, positive, negative, and neutral images while behavioral responses and event-related potentials were recorded via EEG.
What this study cannot tell us
Pilot study with small sample size. Cross-sectional design. Cannot determine if attentional bias causes or results from heavy cannabis use.
How to read the evidence
Preliminary: small pilot study with 20 participants per group.
When this study was published
Published in 2019.
The bigger picture
Understanding that cannabis attentional bias operates at an involuntary, pre-conscious level could inform treatment strategies. Interventions targeting automatic processing, such as attentional bias modification training, might complement traditional approaches.
Questions still open
- Would attentional bias modification training reduce cannabis use? Does this bias diminish with sustained abstinence? Are there individual differences in who develops this automatic response?
Common questions
What is attentional bias?
Can this automatic response be changed?
Read the original research
Neural and behavioral correlates of attentional bias to cannabis cues among adults with cannabis use disorders.
Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 33(1), 69-80
Citation
Ruglass, Lesia M; Shevorykin, Alina; Dambreville, Naomi; Melara, Robert D. (2019). Neural and behavioral correlates of attentional bias to cannabis cues among adults with cannabis use disorders.. Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 33(1), 69-80. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000423
Explore the wider topic
- Physical vs Psychological Cannabis Dependence: What Science Actually Shows
- The Gap Between Cannabis Perception and Science: Why What We Believe Outpaces What We Know
- Cannabis Use Disorder: Am I Addicted? Self-Assessment Guide
- Cross-Addiction After Quitting Weed: When One Habit Replaces Another
- Is Weed Addictive? What the Research Actually Shows
- Is Cannabis Addictive? What the DSM-5 and Brain Science Say
- Quitting Weed and Alcohol Together: What to Know About Dual Cessation
- Is Rehab Necessary for Weed? An Honest Assessment
- Signs You May Have Cannabis Use Disorder: An Honest Self-Assessment
- Weed Vape Pen Addiction: Why Vaping Makes It Harder to Quit