A systematic review and meta-analysis of electroencephalographic evidence and applied methods to cue-reactivity and cue exposure. Part II: Frequency analysis

In this systematic review we report empirical evidence of electroencephalography (EEG) frequency analyses on the differences in processing addiction-related and neutral cues in individuals with addictive behaviors and control participants. A pre-registered (PROSPERO: CRD42024500485) PubMed and Web of Science search for cue reactivity and electroencephalography was conducted. Quality assessment was done with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We identified eleven relevant studies. Methodological parameters across studies were presented. We could perform a meta-analysis for Δ-alpha power including three studies (233 individuals with addictive behaviors) comparing target and control cues. Meta-analyses reveal that in individuals with addictive behaviors target cues were not different compared to control cues (k = 3, Hedge's g = -0.615 [-2.924, 1.693], z = -0.523, p =.601). The limited number of studies and considerable variability in methodologies and parameters emphasize the necessity for additional research to validate these findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. This study highlights the critical importance of employing standardized methods in addiction research to improve the comparability and reliability of results.