Trait Impulsivity and Frontal Lobe Response to Anti-Vaping Messaging Predict Reduced Craving

729 

Abstract Submission 

Somin Kim¹, Jiaying Liu^1,2,3, Jessica Fabbricatore³, Joshua McMains¹, Allison Worsdale³, Colleen Markey¹, Michelle Perez¹, Lawrence Sweet¹

¹Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, ²University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, ³Department of Communication Studies, University of Georgia, Athens, GA

Somin Kim  
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia
Athens, GA

Jiaying Liu  
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia|University of California Santa Barbara|Department of Communication Studies, University of Georgia
Athens, GA|Santa Barbara, CA|Athens, GA

Jessica Fabbricatore  
Department of Communication Studies, University of Georgia
Athens, GA

Joshua McMains  
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia
Athens, GA

Allison Worsdale  
Department of Communication Studies, University of Georgia
Athens, GA

Colleen Markey  
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia
Athens, GA

Michelle Perez  
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia
Athens, GA

Lawrence Sweet  
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia
Athens, GA

With the rise in vaping among young adults in the US, the search for effective methods to reduce vaping has become a new challenge and priority in public health (Dai & Leventhal, 2019). Impulsivity, a major risk factor for early tobacco use is often associated with vaping and cognitive control difficulties (Fernie et al., 2013; Leshem, 2016) However, little is known about how individual differences in levels of impulsivity affect processing of anti-vaping public service announcements (PSAs) at the neural level. This study examines whether and how frontal cortex activation and its interaction with impulsivity predict craving reduction after exposure to anti-vaping PSAs with emotional, cognitive and social appeals.

Functional MRI (fMRI) data were obtained from 51 young adult nonsmokers who vaped on more than 15 out of the past 30 days (Mean age = 20 yrs; 45 women). A PSA fMRI paradigm was presented where anti-vaping messages, featuring cognitive, emotional, and social appeals, were shown for 30sec each, repeated 6 times across two imagine runs in pseudo-random order. Six 20sec blocks of a scrambled control image were also included. A GE 3T MRI scanner acquired data with a temporal resolution of 2s and a spatial resolution of 3.5mm³. Preprocessing steps included slice-time correction, registration, censoring, removal of linear drift, smoothing and stereotaxic standardization. The preprocessed fMRI signals of each task condition were further analyzed using a general linear model to compute effects per brain voxel. We selected the bilateral inferior, middle, and superior frontal gyri as a priori regions of interest to explore frontal activation. Participants' desire to vape was assessed after the presentation of visual vaping cues and PSAs. Reduction in craving was operationalized as the difference between these ratings. Impulsivity scores were measured using the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (Whiteside et al., 2001). Multiple regression models were used to examine the effect of frontal response and impulsivity on reduced craving.

Among the six frontal regions, lower activation of right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) showed a marginal statistical significance, predicting a greater reduction in response to emotionally appealing anti-vaping messages (β_rIFG=-.29, p=.066). The interaction effect between the right IFG activity and impulsivity significantly predicted craving reduction (β_{rIFG*impulsivity}=2.08, p=.011; Figure 1). In individuals with low impulsivity, a less activated right IFG significantly predicted a greater reduction in craving. Right IFG response to PSAs with social appeals was not related to reduced craving (β _rIFG=-.12, p=.462), while the interaction effect was significant (β_{rIFG*impulsivity}=1.81, p=.037). Neither the main effect (β_rIFG=-.10, p=.527) nor the interaction effect (β_{rIFG*impulsivity}=1.43, p=.112) was significant during exposure to cognitive appeals.

Finding suggests that greater engagement of cognitive control function, involving the right IFG, is associated with more effective anti-vaping messages, especially in less impulsive individuals. While increased involvement in cognitive processes could potentially be helpful for criticizing or rejecting PSA messages, such cognitive capacity might not be sufficient in individuals with high impulsivity. This relationship was the most significant in the context of anti-vaping messages with emotional appeals, suggesting that heightened cognitive thinking could override the effects of emotional messages. Given that different levels of impulsivity lead to varying levels of cognitive processing when viewing anti-vaping messages, it is important to consider the impulsive traits of the potential audience when devising anti-vaping public service announcements.

Emotional Perception

Emotion and Motivation Other ¹

Executive Function, Cognitive Control and Decision Making ²

BOLD fMRI

Perception: Visual

Addictions

Cognition

Emotions

FUNCTIONAL MRI

Perception

Other - Frontal lobe