Orexin modulates attentional bias to smoking cues

The neuropeptides ‘orexins’ (hypcretins) have been implicated in reward seeking and addictive diseases (Harris et al., 2005). In nicotine dependence, orexin plasma concentrations are negatively associated with intensity of tobacco craving during early withdrawal (von der Goltz et al., 2010). The aim of this study was to test the recent proposal that orexins may be involved in coordinating attention towards drugs of abuse (Fadel & Burk, 2010). 49 smokers and 39 non-smokers drawn from a larger study-cohort provided blood samples from which orexin plasma concentrations were determined. Participants’ tendencies to a…