許多研究證實檳榔含有許多致癌物質，但檳榔嚼食仍在許多亞洲國家非常常見。本研究探討嚼食檳榔者是否會對於檳榔相關線索產生注意力偏誤。此類注意力偏誤會增加成癮者對於物質的渴求，進而增加成癮者使用此類成癮物質的可能性。在本研究中我們使用了視覺偵測作業(visual probe task)以及眼動儀來評估檳榔嚼食者的注意力偏誤。實驗中，檳榔與非檳榔配對圖呈現2000毫杪，接著出現箭頭在檳榔或非檳榔圖。參與者需盡快對箭頭方向按鍵反應。在2000毫秒呈現時間內，眼動儀記錄參與者的眼動型態。研究結果發現檳榔嚼食者第一次眼球移動有較高的機率會朝向檳榔相關圖片上，在檳榔相關圖片上的總凝視點量也較非檳榔相關圖片多。另外也發現檳榔嚼食者在檳榔相關圖片的總凝視時間較非檳榔相關圖片來的長。我們發現檳榔嚼食者確實會對檳榔相關刺激產生注意力偏誤，而這類的注意力偏誤可能就是成癮者維持使用此物質的原因之一。Many studies have shown that betel nut is a carcinogen, but betel nut chewing is still common in many Asian countries. In this study, we aimed to examine whether the betel nut chewers showed attention bias to the betel nut cues. We employed the visual probe task and eye tracker to assess the habitual chewers’ attentional bias toward betel nut cues. In the current study, the participants were instructed to respond to a probe presented immediately after either one of a pair of areca-related picture and non-areca-matched picture. The eye movements data were recorded during each trial, starting immediately after the disappeared of the fixation cross and terminating immediately after the stimuli pictures disappeared. The result showed a higher probability for betel nut chewers’ eyesight to move toward betel nut pictures, fixated on the betel nut picture for a longer duration, and with more fixation points. The results suggested that the betel nut chewer show bias to the betel nut cues and this bias may be a reason why the chewer maintained to use substances.
