Abstract:  Research has identified several features of heroin-related reward dysfunction, including the enhanced attentional bias for heroin-related cues, increased drug craving, preference for immediate over delayed rewards of larger value and decreased sensitivity to delayed consequences. It has also been found that heroin addicts exhibit executive dysfunction. Reward dysregulation and executive function deficits have been hypothesized to play an important role in the maintenance of drug taking and abstinence. Dual- competition model proposes that reward regulation and executive function interact with each other and directly affect goal-direct actions. However, it is not clear yet how reward influences executive function. This study aims to investigate the effect of heroin-related cues and monetary reward on executive function in heroin addicts after different periods of abstinence. The event related potentials of the heroin addicts following short-term (1~3 months) abstinence and those with long-term (above 18 months) abstinence will be compared with the healthy controls. The results will not only contribute to the development of the addiction theories, but also help to identify the risk factors and the proper objectives in different abstinent periods.

Key words: executive function, reward dysregulation, heroin-related cues, money incentive, heroin addicts