Alcohol exposure therapy: generalisation and changes in responsivity

Drug Alcohol Depend. 1999 Nov 1;57(1):29-40. doi: 10.1016/s0376-8716(99)00037-x.

Abstract

Fifty male alcohol-dependent individuals presenting for treatment were randomly assigned to either a cue exposure (CE) or control group. The experimental group were presented with 10 exposure trials to the sight and smell of alcohol, whilst the control group were presented with a neutral beverage. Following this, subjects received exposure to alcohol in a different room to examine whether extinguished responses generalised to a different environment. Results showed that only those subjects presented with the alcohol cue showed a significant reduction in cue-elicited swallowing, subjective withdrawal symptoms, arousal and urge to drink alcohol and that these extinguished responses remained diminished in magnitude in a different environment. These results provide additional support for the effectiveness of CE in reducing responsivity to alcohol cues.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alcoholic Beverages*
  • Alcoholism / psychology*
  • Alcoholism / therapy
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Cues
  • Deglutition
  • Heart Rate
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / psychology*
  • Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / therapy
  • Surveys and Questionnaires