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Amlung M, Marsden E, Hargreaves T, Sweet LH, Murphy JG, MacKillop J. Neural correlates of increased alcohol demand following alcohol cue exposure in adult heavy drinkers. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2024; 340:111809. [PMID: 38547596 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2024.111809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder is associated with overvaluation of alcohol relative to other rewards, in part due to dynamic increases in value in response to alcohol-related cues. In a neuroeconomic framework, alcohol cues increase behavioral economic demand for alcohol, but the neural correlates these cue effects are unknown. This functional magnetic resonance imaging study combined a neuroeconomic alcohol purchase task with an alcohol cue exposure in 72 heavy drinkers with established sensitivity to alcohol cues (51 % female; mean age=33.74). Participants reported how many drinks they would consume from $0-$80/drink following exposure to neutral and alcohol images in a fixed order. Participants purchased significantly more drinks in the alcohol compared to the neutral condition, which was also evident for demand indices (i.e., intensity, breakpoint, Omax, elasticity; ps<0.001; ds=0.46-0.92). Alcohol purchase decisions were associated with activation in rostral middle and medial frontal gyri, anterior insula, posterior parietal cortex, and dorsal striatum, among other regions. Activation was lower across regions in the alcohol relative to neutral cue condition, potentially due to greater automaticity of choices in the presence of alcohol cues or attenuation of responses due to fixed cue order. These results contribute to growing literature using neuroeconomics to understand alcohol misuse and provide a foundation for future research investigating decision-making effects of environmental alcohol triggers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Amlung
- Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA; Department of Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
| | - Emma Marsden
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Tegan Hargreaves
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Lawrence H Sweet
- Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - James G Murphy
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - James MacKillop
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Fujimoto Y, Fujino J, Matsuyoshi D, Jitoku D, Kobayashi N, Qian C, Okuzumi S, Tei S, Tamura T, Ueno T, Yamada M, Takahashi H. Neural responses to gaming content on social media in young adults. Behav Brain Res 2024; 467:115004. [PMID: 38631660 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Excessive gaming can impair both mental and physical health, drawing widespread public and clinical attention, especially among young generations. People are now more exposed to gaming-related content on social media than before, and this exposure may have a significant impact on their behavior. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this effect remain unexplored. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this study aimed to investigate the neural activity induced by gaming-related content on social media among young adults casually playing online games. While being assessed by fMRI, the participants watched gaming-related videos and neutral (nongaming) videos on social media. The gaming-related cues significantly activated several brain areas, including the medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, superior/middle temporal gyrus, precuneus and occipital regions, compared with the neutral cues. Additionally, the participants' gaming desire levels positively correlated with a gaming-related cue-induced activation in the left orbitofrontal cortex and the right superior temporal gyrus. These findings extend previous studies on gaming cues and provide useful information to elucidate the effects of gaming-related content on social media in young adults. Continued research using real-world gaming cues may help improve our understanding of promoting gaming habits and provide support to individuals vulnerable to gaming addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Fujimoto
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan; Institute for Quantum Life Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan; Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan
| | - Junya Fujino
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan; Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Daisuke Matsuyoshi
- Institute for Quantum Life Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Daisuke Jitoku
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nanase Kobayashi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chenyu Qian
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shoko Okuzumi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shisei Tei
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Institute of Applied Brain Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, Japan; School of Human and Social Sciences, Tokyo International University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takehiro Tamura
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takefumi Ueno
- Division of Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization, Hizen Psychiatric Medical Center, Saga, Japan
| | - Makiko Yamada
- Institute for Quantum Life Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan; Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hidehiko Takahashi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan; Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan; Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
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Muehlhan M, Spindler C, Nowaczynski S, Buchner C, Fascher M, Trautmann S. Where alcohol use disorder meets interoception: A meta-analytic view on structural and functional neuroimaging data. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 38528368 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) has been associated with changes in the processing of internal body signals, known as interoception. Changes in brain structure, particularly in the insula, are thought to underlie impaired interoception. As studies specifically investigating this association are largely lacking, this analysis takes an approach that compares meta-analytic results on interoception with recently published meta-analytic results on gray matter reduction in AUD. A systematic literature search identified 25 eligible interoception studies. Activation likelihood estimation (ALE) was used to test for spatial convergence of study results. Overlap between interoception and AUD clusters was tested using conjunction analysis. Meta-analytic connectivity modeling (MACM) and resting-state functional connectivity were used to identify the functional network of interoception and to test where this network overlapped with AUD meta-analytic clusters. The results were characterized using behavioral domain analysis. The interoception ALE identified a cluster in the left middle insula. There was no overlap with clusters of reduced gray matter in AUD. MACM analysis of the interoception cluster revealed a large network located in the insulae, thalami, basal nuclei, cingulate and medial frontal cortices, and pre- and postcentral gyri. Resting state analysis confirmed this result, showing the strongest connections to nodes of the salience- and somatomotor network. Five of the eight clusters that showed a structural reduction in AUD were located within these networks. The behavioral profiles of these clusters were suggestive of higher-level processes such as salience control, somatomotor functions, and skin sensations. The results suggest an altered salience mapping of interoceptive signals in AUD, consistent with current models. Connections to the somatomotor network may be related to action control and integration of skin sensations. Mindfulness-based interventions, pleasurable touch, and (deep) transcranial magnetic stimulation may be targeted interventions that reduce interoceptive deficits in AUD and thus contribute to drug use reduction and relapse prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Muehlhan
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- ICAN Institute of Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carolin Spindler
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sandra Nowaczynski
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- ICAN Institute of Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Carl-Friedrich-Flemming-Clinic, Helios Medical Center Schwerin, Schwerin, Germany
| | - Claudius Buchner
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maximilian Fascher
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- ICAN Institute of Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Trautmann
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- ICPP Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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Taxier LR, Flanigan ME, Haun HL, Kash TL. Retrieval of an ethanol-conditioned taste aversion promotes GABAergic plasticity in the insular cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.20.585950. [PMID: 38562680 PMCID: PMC10983921 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.20.585950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Blunted sensitivity to ethanol's aversive effects can increase motivation to consume ethanol; yet, the neurobiological circuits responsible for encoding these aversive properties are not fully understood. Plasticity in cells projecting from the insular cortex (IC) to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) is critical for taste aversion learning and retrieval, suggesting this circuit's potential involvement in modulating the aversive properties of ethanol. Here, we tested the hypothesis that GABAergic activity onto IC-BLA projections would be facilitated following the retrieval of an ethanol-conditioned taste aversion (CTA). Consistent with this hypothesis, frequency of mIPSCs was increased following retrieval of an ethanol-CTA across cell layers in IC-BLA projection neurons. This increase in GABAergic plasticity occurred in both a circuit-specific and learning-dependent manner. Additionally, local inhibitory inputs onto layer 2/3 IC-BLA projection neurons were greater in number and strength following ethanol-CTA. Finally, DREADD-mediated inhibition of IC parvalbumin-expressing cells blunted the retrieval of ethanol-CTA in male, but not female, mice. Collectively, this work implicates a circuit-specific and learning-dependent increase in GABAergic tone following retrieval of an ethanol-CTA, thereby advancing our understanding of how the aversive effects of ethanol are encoded in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa R Taxier
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, 27599
| | - Meghan E Flanigan
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, 27599
| | - Harold L Haun
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, 27599
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, 27599
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Kirsch DE, Ray LA, Wassum KM, Grodin EN. Anterior cingulate and medial prefrontal cortex alcohol cue reactivity varies as a function of drink preference in alcohol use disorder. Drug Alcohol Depend 2024; 256:111123. [PMID: 38367535 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Functional MRI visual cue reactivity studies have not considered that brain responses to various alcohol-containing beverage types may vary as a function of an individual's drinking patterns and preferences. This study tested whether the brain's reward system responds differently to visual cues associated with an individuals' most commonly consumed ("preferred") alcohol beverage compared with less commonly consumed ("non-preferred") alcohol beverages in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). METHODS Participants (N=70) with current AUD completed a standard visual alcohol cue reactivity procedure during fMRI and reported recent alcohol use through the Timeline Followback interview. Alcohol use patterns were used to infer drink preference. Repeated measure ANCOVAs were used to evaluate differences in subjective craving (alcohol urge) and neural reactivity to cues of individual's "preferred" versus "non-preferred" alcohol beverages. RESULTS Fifty-four (77%) participants were determined to have a "preferred" alcohol beverage, as defined by their pattern of alcohol use. These participants reported greater subjective alcohol urge (p=0.02) and activation in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) (p=0.005) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) (p=0.001)) in response to visual cues associated with their "preferred" versus "non-preferred" alcohol beverage. Individuals with an alcohol preference did not differ from those with no alcohol preference on subjective or neural responses to their "preferred" and "non-preferred" alcohol cues. DISCUSSION Results suggest alcohol cue-elicited subjective and neural responses vary as a function of alcohol beverage preference in individuals with AUD and a behaviorally defined alcohol preference. Stronger ACC and mPFC activation may reflect greater subjective value of an individual's "preferred" alcohol beverage cue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan E Kirsch
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA
| | - Lara A Ray
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Kate M Wassum
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA
| | - Erica N Grodin
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Pagni BA, Petridis PD, Podrebarac SK, Grinband J, Claus ED, Bogenschutz MP. Psilocybin-induced changes in neural reactivity to alcohol and emotional cues in patients with alcohol use disorder: an fMRI pilot study. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3159. [PMID: 38326432 PMCID: PMC10850478 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52967-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
This pilot study investigated psilocybin-induced changes in neural reactivity to alcohol and emotional cues in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Participants were recruited from a phase II, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial investigating psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) for the treatment of AUD (NCT02061293). Eleven adult patients completed task-based blood oxygen dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) approximately 3 days before and 2 days after receiving 25 mg of psilocybin (n = 5) or 50 mg of diphenhydramine (n = 6). Visual alcohol and emotionally valanced (positive, negative, or neutral) stimuli were presented in block design. Across both alcohol and emotional cues, psilocybin increased activity in the medial and lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) and left caudate, and decreased activity in the insular, motor, temporal, parietal, and occipital cortices, and cerebellum. Unique to negative cues, psilocybin increased supramarginal gyrus activity; unique to positive cues, psilocybin increased right hippocampus activity and decreased left hippocampus activity. Greater PFC and caudate engagement and concomitant insula, motor, and cerebellar disengagement suggests enhanced goal-directed action, improved emotional regulation, and diminished craving. The robust changes in brain activity observed in this pilot study warrant larger neuroimaging studies to elucidate neural mechanisms of PAT.Trial registration: NCT02061293.
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Affiliation(s)
- B A Pagni
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - P D Petridis
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - S K Podrebarac
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - J Grinband
- Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - E D Claus
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - M P Bogenschutz
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Naqvi NH, Srivastava AB, Sanchez-Peña J, Lee JK, Drysdale AT, Mariani JJ, Ochsner KN, Morgenstern J, Patel GH, Levin FR. Neural correlates of drinking reduction during a clinical trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for alcohol use disorder. Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken) 2024; 48:260-272. [PMID: 38225187 PMCID: PMC11015435 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD). We hypothesized that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), a region implicated in cognitive control and goal-directed behavior, plays a role in behavior change during CBT by facilitating the regulation of craving (ROC). METHODS Treatment-seeking participants with AUD (N = 22) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning both before and after a 12-week, single-arm trial of CBT, using an ROC task that was previously shown to engage the DLPFC. RESULTS We found that both the percentage of heavy drinking days (PHDD) and the overall self-reported alcohol craving measured during the ROC task were significantly reduced from pre- to post-CBT. However, we did not find significant changes over time in either the ability to regulate craving or regulation-related activity in any brain region. We found a significant 3-way interaction between the effects of cue-induced craving, cue-induced brain activity and timepoint of assessment (pre- or post-CBT) on PHDD in the left DLPFC. Follow-up analysis showed that cue-induced craving was associated with cue-induced activity in the left DLPFC among participants who ceased heavy drinking during CBT, both at pre-CBT and post-CBT timepoints. No such associations were present at either timepoint among participants who continued to drink heavily. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that patients in whom DLPFC functioning is more strongly related to cue-induced craving may preferentially respond to CBT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasir H Naqvi
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - A Benjamin Srivastava
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Juan Sanchez-Peña
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jessica K Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Andrew T Drysdale
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - John J Mariani
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kevin N Ochsner
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jon Morgenstern
- Department of Psychiatry, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University/Northwell Health, Hempstead, New York, USA
| | - Gaurav H Patel
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Frances R Levin
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
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Bach P, Zaiser J, Zimmermann S, Gessner T, Hoffmann S, Gerhardt S, Berhe O, Bekier NK, Abel M, Radler P, Langejürgen J, Tost H, Lenz B, Vollstädt-Klein S, Stallkamp J, Kirschbaum C, Kiefer F. Stress-Induced Sensitization of Insula Activation Predicts Alcohol Craving and Alcohol Use in Alcohol Use Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:245-255. [PMID: 37678541 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress and alcohol cues trigger alcohol consumption and relapse in alcohol use disorder. However, the neurobiological processes underlying their interaction are not well understood. Thus, we conducted a randomized, controlled neuroimaging study to investigate the effects of psychosocial stress on neural cue reactivity and addictive behaviors. METHODS Neural alcohol cue reactivity was assessed in 91 individuals with alcohol use disorder using a validated functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task. Activation patterns were measured twice, at baseline and during a second fMRI session, prior to which participants were assigned to psychosocial stress (experimental condition) or a matched control condition or physical exercise (control conditions). Together with fMRI data, alcohol craving and cortisol levels were assessed, and alcohol use data were collected during a 12-month follow-up. Analyses tested the effects of psychosocial stress on neural cue reactivity and associations with cortisol levels, craving, and alcohol use. RESULTS Compared with both control conditions, psychosocial stress elicited higher alcohol cue-induced activation in the left anterior insula (familywise error-corrected p < .05) and a stress- and cue-specific dynamic increase in insula activation over time (F22,968 = 2.143, p = .007), which was predicted by higher cortisol levels during the experimental intervention (r = 0.310, false discovery rate-corrected p = .016). Cue-induced insula activation was positively correlated with alcohol craving during fMRI (r = 0.262, false discovery rate-corrected p = .032) and alcohol use during follow-up (r = 0.218, false discovery rate-corrected p = .046). CONCLUSIONS Results indicate a stress-induced sensitization of cue-induced activation in the left insula as a neurobiological correlate of the effects of psychosocial stress on alcohol craving and alcohol use in alcohol use disorder, which likely reflects changes in salience attribution and goal-directed behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Bach
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim. Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Feuerlein Center on Translational Addiction Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Judith Zaiser
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim. Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sina Zimmermann
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim. Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tatjana Gessner
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim. Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sabine Hoffmann
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim. Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Biostatistics, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sarah Gerhardt
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim. Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Oksana Berhe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nina Kim Bekier
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim. Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Abel
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim. Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philipp Radler
- Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation Institute for Production Technology and Automation, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jens Langejürgen
- Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation Institute for Production Technology and Automation, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Heike Tost
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bernd Lenz
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim. Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sabine Vollstädt-Klein
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim. Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences, Medical Faculty of Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jan Stallkamp
- Mannheim Institute for Intelligent Systems in Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Clemens Kirschbaum
- Department of Psychology, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Falk Kiefer
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim. Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Feuerlein Center on Translational Addiction Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences, Medical Faculty of Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
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9
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Yang X, Song Y, Zou Y, Li Y, Zeng J. Neural correlates of prediction error in patients with schizophrenia: evidence from an fMRI meta-analysis. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhad471. [PMID: 38061699 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Abnormal processes of learning from prediction errors, i.e. the discrepancies between expectations and outcomes, are thought to underlie motivational impairments in schizophrenia. Although dopaminergic abnormalities in the mesocorticolimbic reward circuit have been found in patients with schizophrenia, the pathway through which prediction error signals are processed in schizophrenia has yet to be elucidated. To determine the neural correlates of prediction error processing in schizophrenia, we conducted a meta-analysis of whole-brain neuroimaging studies that investigated prediction error signal processing in schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. A total of 14 studies (324 schizophrenia patients and 348 healthy controls) using the reinforcement learning paradigm were included. Our meta-analysis showed that, relative to healthy controls, schizophrenia patients showed increased activity in the precentral gyrus and middle frontal gyrus and reduced activity in the mesolimbic circuit, including the striatum, thalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex, insula, superior temporal gyrus, and cerebellum, when processing prediction errors. We also found hyperactivity in frontal areas and hypoactivity in mesolimbic areas when encoding prediction error signals in schizophrenia patients, potentially indicating abnormal dopamine signaling of reward prediction error and suggesting failure to represent the value of alternative responses during prediction error learning and decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Yang
- School of Public Policy and Administration, Chongqing University, No. 174, Shazhengjie, Shapingba, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuan Song
- School of Public Policy and Administration, Chongqing University, No. 174, Shazhengjie, Shapingba, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuhan Zou
- School of Economics and Business Administration, Chongqing University, No. 174, Shazhengjie, Shapingba, Chongqing, China
| | - Yilin Li
- Psychology and Neuroscience Department, University of St Andrews, Forbes 1 DRA, Buchanan Garden, St Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom
| | - Jianguang Zeng
- School of Economics and Business Administration, Chongqing University, No. 174, Shazhengjie, Shapingba, Chongqing, China
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10
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Blaine SK, Ridner C, Campbell B, Crone L, Macatee R, Ansell EB, Robinson JL, Claus ED. People who binge drink show neuroendocrine tolerance to alcohol cues that is associated with immediate and future drinking- results from a randomized clinical experiment. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1968-1974. [PMID: 37717082 PMCID: PMC10584838 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01735-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
Neuroendocrine tolerance to alcohol, i.e., a blunted cortisol response to alcohol, has been linked to Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (VmPFC) alcohol cue reactivity and relapse risk in severe Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs), but its role in the development of AUDs is not clear. Recent work suggests that blunted cortisol responses to alcohol cues in individuals who engage in binge drinking (BD) may play a role in motivation to consume larger amounts of alcohol, but the link between this dysregulated endocrine response and BD's neural responses to alcohol cues remains unclear. To examine this, two groups of participants were recruited based on their recent drinking history. Thirty-three BD and 31 non-binging, social drinkers (SD) were exposed to alcohol cues and water cues in two separate 7 T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans. Each scan was followed by the Alcohol Taste Test (ATT) of implicit motivation for alcohol and a post-experiment, one-month prospective measurement of their "real world" drinking behavior. During each scan session, blood plasma was collected repeatedly to examine the separate effects of alcohol cues and alcohol consumption on cortisol levels. Relative to water cues and SD, BD demonstrated blunted cortisol cue reactivity that was negatively associated with VmPFC cue reactivity. In BD, both blunted cortisol and greater VmPFC cue reactivity were related to immediate and future alcohol consumption in the month following the scans. Thus, neuroendocrine tolerance in BD may be associated with increased incentive salience of cues and contribute mechanistically to increased alcohol consumption seen in the development of AUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara K Blaine
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.
| | - Clayton Ridner
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Benjamin Campbell
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Lily Crone
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Richard Macatee
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Emily B Ansell
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
| | | | - Eric D Claus
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
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11
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Thursz M, Lingford-Hughes A. Advances in the understanding and management of alcohol-related liver disease. BMJ 2023; 383:e077090. [PMID: 37984967 DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2023-077090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality. Epidemiological trends indicate recent and predicted increases in the burden of disease. Disease progression is driven by continued alcohol exposure on a background of genetic predisposition together with environmental cofactors. Most individuals present with advanced disease despite a long history of excessive alcohol consumption and multiple missed opportunities to intervene. Increasing evidence supports the use of non-invasive tests to screen for and identify disease at earlier stages. There is a definite role for public health measures to reduce the overall burden of disease. At an individual level, however, the ability to influence subsequent disease course by modifying alcohol consumption or the underlying pathogenic mechanisms remains limited due to a comparative lack of effective, disease-modifying medical interventions. Abstinence from alcohol is the key determinant of outcome in established ALD and the cornerstone of clinical management. In those with decompensated ALD, liver transplant has a clear role. There is consensus that abstinence from alcohol for an arbitrary period should not be the sole determinant in a decision to transplant. An increasing understanding of the mechanisms by which alcohol causes liver disease in susceptible individuals offers the prospect of new therapeutic targets for disease-modifying drugs. Successful translation will require significant public and private investment in a disease area which has traditionally been underfunded when compared to its overall prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Thursz
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK
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12
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Larsen JK, Hollands GJ, Garland EL, Evers AWM, Wiers RW. Be more mindful: Targeting addictive responses by integrating mindfulness with cognitive bias modification or cue exposure interventions. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105408. [PMID: 37758008 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
This review provides an overview of the most prominent neurocognitive effects of cognitive bias modification (CBM), cue-exposure therapy and mindfulness interventions for targeting addictive responses. It highlights the key insights that have stemmed from cognitive neuroscience and brain imaging research and combines these with insights from behavioural science in building a conceptual model integrating mindfulness with response-focused CBM or cue-exposure interventions. This furthers our understanding of whether and how mindfulness strategies may i) facilitate or add to the induced response-focused effects decreasing cue-induced craving, and ii) further weaken the link between craving and addictive responses. Specifically, awareness/monitoring may facilitate, and decentering may add to, response-focused effects. Combined awareness acceptance strategies may also diminish the craving-addiction link. The conceptual model presented in this review provides a specific theoretical framework to deepen our understanding of how mindfulness strategies and CBM or cue-exposure interventions can be combined to greatest effect. This is important in both suggesting a roadmap for future research, and for the further development of clinical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junilla K Larsen
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, PO Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Gareth J Hollands
- EPPI Centre, UCL Social Research Institute, University College London, UK
| | - Eric L Garland
- Center on Mindfulness and Integrative Health Intervention Development, College of Social Work, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA
| | - Andrea W M Evers
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, NL, and Medical Delta, Leiden University, TU Delft and Erasmus University, UK
| | - Reinout W Wiers
- Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT)-lab, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam and Centre for Urban Mental Health, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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13
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Kuhns L, Mies G, Kroon E, Willuhn I, Lesscher H, Cousijn J. Alcohol cue reactivity in the brain: Age-related differences in the role of social processes in addiction in male drinkers. J Neurosci Res 2023; 101:1521-1537. [PMID: 37401734 PMCID: PMC10538438 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Social attunement (SA)-the tendency to harmonize behavior with the social environment-has been proposed to drive the escalation of alcohol use in adolescence, while reducing use in adulthood. Little is known about how heightened social sensitivity in adolescence may interact with neural alcohol cue reactivity-a marker of alcohol use disorder-and its relationship to alcohol use severity over time. The aims of this study were to test whether (1) adolescents and adults differ in social alcohol cue reactivity in the nucleus accumbens, anterior cingulate cortex, and right medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and (2) age moderates the relationship between social alcohol cue reactivity and social attunement, measures of drinking at baseline, and changes in drinking over time. A sample of male adolescents (16-18 years) and adults (29-35 years) completed an fMRI social alcohol cue-exposure task at baseline and an online follow-up two to three years later. No main effects of age or drinking measures were observed in social alcohol cue reactivity. However, age significantly moderated associations of social alcohol cue reactivity in the mPFC and additional regions from exploratory whole-brain analyses with SA, with a positive association in adolescents and negative association in adults. Significant age interactions emerged only for SA in predicting drinking over time. Adolescents with higher SA scores escalated drinking, while adults with higher SA scores reduced drinking. These findings warrant further research on SA as a risk and protective factor and suggest that social processes influence cue reactivity differentially in male adolescents and adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Kuhns
- Neuroscience of Addiction (NofA) Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- The Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Center (ABC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gabry Mies
- Neuroscience of Addiction (NofA) Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Karakter, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Emese Kroon
- Neuroscience of Addiction (NofA) Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- The Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Center (ABC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ingo Willuhn
- The Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Center (ABC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands, Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Heidi Lesscher
- Department of Population Health Sciences, unit Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Janna Cousijn
- Neuroscience of Addiction (NofA) Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychology, Education & Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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14
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Lungwitz EA, Dzemidzic M, Shen YI, Plawecki MH, Oberlin BG. Brain response in heavy drinkers during cross-commodity alcohol and money discounting with potentially real rewards: A preliminary study. Drug Alcohol Depend Rep 2023; 8:100175. [PMID: 37753349 PMCID: PMC10518510 DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Background Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with exaggerated preference for immediate rewards, a candidate endophenotype for use disorders. Addiction symptomology is often well-described by the preference for immediate intoxication over other delayed prosocial rewards. We measured brain activation in AUD-implicated regions during a cross-commodity delay discounting (CCD) task with choices for immediate alcohol and delayed money. Methods Heavy drinkers (n=24) experienced a brief intravenous alcohol infusion prime, regained sobriety, then chose between 'One Shot' and delayed money in an adjusting delay CCD task (sober and intoxicated); also during fMRI (sober). Participants also performed a behavioral sensation seeking task and completed self-report inventories of other risk factors. We assessed brain activation to choices representing immediate intoxication versus delayed money rewards in a priori regions of interest defined within the framework of Addictions NeuroImaging Assessment. Results Activation to CCD choice versus control trials activated paralimbic and ventral frontal cortical regions, including orbital and medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate/retrosplenial cortex, angular and superior frontal gyri. We detected no differences between immediate or delayed choices. Left medial orbitofrontal cortex activation correlated with alcohol-induced wanting for alcohol; females showed greater activation than males. Behavioral sensation seeking correlated with right nucleus accumbens task engagement. Conclusions Alcohol decision-making elicited activation in regions governing reward, introspection, and executive decision-making in heavy drinkers, demonstrating the utility of laboratory tasks designed to better model real-world choice. Our findings suggest that the brain processes subserving immediate and delayed choices are mostly overlapping, even with varied commodities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Lungwitz
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM); 355 W 16th St, Ste 4800; Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Mario Dzemidzic
- Department of Neurology, IUSM; 355 W 16th St, Ste 4600; Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Center for Neuroimaging, IUSM; 355 W 16th St, Ste 4100; Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Yitong I. Shen
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM); 355 W 16th St, Ste 4800; Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Martin H. Plawecki
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM); 355 W 16th St, Ste 4800; Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Brandon G. Oberlin
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM); 355 W 16th St, Ste 4800; Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Neurology, IUSM; 355 W 16th St, Ste 4600; Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis; 402 N Blackford St, LD124; Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, IUSM; 320 W 15th St, Ste 414; Indianapolis, IN 46202 USA
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15
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Chen Y, Li CSR. Appetitive and aversive cue reactivities differentiate neural subtypes of alcohol drinkers. Addict Neurosci 2023; 7:100089. [PMID: 37483686 PMCID: PMC10358306 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2023.100089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Craving reflects the subjective urge to use drugs and can be triggered by both positive and negative emotional states. No studies have systematically investigated the relative roles of these mechanisms in the pathophysiology of substance misuse. Here, we performed meta-analyses of drug cue-elicited reactivity and win and loss processing in the monetary incentive delay task to identify distinct neural correlates of appetitive and aversive responses to drug cues. We then characterized the appetitive and aversive cue responses in seventy-six alcohol drinkers performing a cue craving task during fMRI. Imaging data were processed according to published routines. The appetitive circuit involved medial cortical regions and the ventral striatum, and the aversive circuit involved the insula, caudate and mid-cingulate cortex. We observed a significant correlation of cue-elicited activity (β estimates) of the appetitive and aversive circuit. However, individuals varied in appetitive and aversive cue responses. From the regression of appetitive (y) vs. aversive (x) β, we identified participants in the top 1/3 each of those with positive and negative residuals as "approach" (n = 15) and "avoidance" (n = 11) and the others as the "mixed" (n = 50) subtype. In clinical characteristics, the avoidance subtype showed higher sensitivity to punishment and, in contrast, the approach subtype showed higher levels of sensation seeking and alcohol expectancy for social and physical pressure. The findings highlighted distinct neural underpinnings of appetitive and aversive components of cue-elicited reactivity and provided evidence for potential subtypes of alcohol drinkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Chiang-Shan R. Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Inter-department Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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16
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Pollard AA, Hauson AO, Lackey NS, Zhang E, Khayat S, Carson B, Fortea L, Radua J, Grant I. Functional neuroanatomy of craving in heroin use disorder: voxel-based meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) drug cue reactivity studies. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 2023; 49:418-430. [PMID: 36880845 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2023.2172423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Background: The neuroanatomy of craving, typically investigated using the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) drug cue reactivity (FDCR) paradigm, has been shown to involve the mesocorticolimbic, nigrostriatal, and corticocerebellar systems in several substances. However, the neuroanatomy of craving in heroin use disorder is still unclear.Objective: The current meta-analysis examines previous research on the neuroanatomy of craving in abstinent individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD).Method: Seven databases were searched for studies comparing abstinent OUD versus healthy controls on drug > neutral contrast interaction at the whole-brain level. Voxel-based meta-analysis was performed using seed-based d mapping with permuted subject images (SDM-PSI). Thresholds were set at a family-wise error rate of less than 5% with the default pre-processing parameters of SDM-PSI.Results: A total of 10 studies were included (296 OUD and 187 controls). Four hyperactivated clusters were identified with Hedges' g of peaks that ranged from 0.51 to 0.82. These peaks and their associated clusters correspond to the three systems identified in the previous literature: a) mesocorticolimbic, b) nigrostriatal, and c) corticocerebellar. There were also newly revealed hyperactivation regions including the bilateral cingulate, precuneus, fusiform gyrus, pons, lingual gyrus, and inferior occipital gyrus. The meta-analysis did not reveal areas of hypoactivation.Conclusion: Recommendations based on the functional neuroanatomical findings of this meta-analysis include pharmacological interventions such as buprenorphine/naloxone and cognitive-behavioral treatments such as cue-exposure combined with HRV biofeedback. In addition, research should utilize FDCR as pre- and post-measurement to determine the effectiveness and mechanism of action of such interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna A Pollard
- California School of Professional Psychology, Clinical Psychology PhD Program, San Diego, CA, USA
- Institute of Brain Research and Integrated Neuropsychological Services (iBRAINS.org), San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Alexander O Hauson
- California School of Professional Psychology, Clinical Psychology PhD Program, San Diego, CA, USA
- Institute of Brain Research and Integrated Neuropsychological Services (iBRAINS.org), San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas S Lackey
- California School of Professional Psychology, Clinical Psychology PhD Program, San Diego, CA, USA
- Institute of Brain Research and Integrated Neuropsychological Services (iBRAINS.org), San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Emily Zhang
- California School of Professional Psychology, Clinical Psychology PhD Program, San Diego, CA, USA
- Institute of Brain Research and Integrated Neuropsychological Services (iBRAINS.org), San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Sarah Khayat
- Institute of Brain Research and Integrated Neuropsychological Services (iBRAINS.org), San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Bryce Carson
- California School of Professional Psychology, Clinical Psychology PhD Program, San Diego, CA, USA
- Institute of Brain Research and Integrated Neuropsychological Services (iBRAINS.org), San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Lydia Fortea
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joaquim Radua
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Igor Grant
- Department of Psychiatry, University of San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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17
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Chaudhary S, Chen Y, Zhornitsky S, Le TM, Zhang S, Chao HH, Dominguez JC, Li CSR. The effects of age on the severity of problem drinking: Mediating effects of positive alcohol expectancy and neural correlates. Addict Biol 2023; 28:e13278. [PMID: 37252876 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Aging is associated with reduction in the severity of alcohol misuse. However, the psychological and neural mechanisms underlying the age-related changes remain unclear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that age-related diminution of positive alcohol expectancy (AE) mediated the effects of age on problem drinking and investigated the neural correlates of the mediating effects. Ninety-six drinkers 21-85 years of age, including social drinkers and those with mild/moderate alcohol use disorder (AUD), were assessed for global positive (GP) AE and problem drinking, each with the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and with brain imaging during alcohol cue exposure. We processed imaging data with published routines; identified the correlates shared between whole-brain regression against age, GP and AUDIT scores; and performed mediation and path analyses to explore the interrelationships between the clinical and neural variables. The results showed that age was negatively correlated with both GP and AUDIT scores, with GP score completely mediating the correlation between age and AUDIT score. Lower age and higher GP correlated with shared cue responses in bilateral parahippocampal gyrus and left middle occipital cortex (PHG/OC). Further, higher GP and AUDIT scores were associated with shared cue responses in bilateral rostral anterior cingulate cortex and caudate head (ACC/caudate). Path analyses demonstrated models with significant statistical fit and PHG/OC and ACC/caudate each interrelating age to GP and GP to AUDIT scores. These findings confirmed change in positive AE as a psychological mechanism mitigating alcohol misuse as individuals age and highlighted the neural processes of cue-reactivity interrelating age and alcohol use severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shefali Chaudhary
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Simon Zhornitsky
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Thang M Le
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sheng Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Herta H Chao
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Chiang-Shan R Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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18
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Grodin EN, Meredith LR, Burnette EM, Miotto K, Irwin MR, Ray LA. Baseline C-reactive protein levels are predictive of treatment response to a neuroimmune modulator in individuals with an alcohol use disorder: a preliminary study. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 2023; 49:333-344. [PMID: 36282988 PMCID: PMC10840759 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2022.2124918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Background: Inflammation is implicated in alcohol use disorder (AUD). Ibudilast, a neuroimmune modulator, shows promise for the treatment of AUD. Elevated inflammation, indicated by high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), represents a possible subtype of AUD, which may be associated with treatment response to ibudilast.Objectives: The current study evaluated CRP as a predictor of treatment response to ibudilast; hypothesizing that ibudilast would be more effective at reducing drinking and alcohol cue-reactivity in individuals with higher CRP levels.Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a clinical trial of ibudilast for AUD, which found that ibudilast reduced heavy drinking in individuals with AUD. Fifty-one individuals were randomized to receive ibudilast (n = 24 [16 M/8F]) or placebo (n = 27 [18 M/9F]) for two weeks. Participants provided blood samples at baseline to assess CRP levels, completed daily assessments of alcohol use, and an fMRI alcohol cue-reactivity task at study mid-point. Models tested the effects of medication, CRP levels, and their interaction on drinks per drinking day and alcohol cue-reactivity.Results: There was a significant interaction between medication and CRP (F = 3.80, p = .03), such that the ibudilast high CRP group had fewer drinks per drinking day compared to the ibudilast low CRP group. CRP moderated the effect of medication on brain activation in a cluster extending from the left inferior frontal gyrus to the right-dorsal striatum (Z = 4.55, p < .001). This interaction was driven by attenuated cue-reactivity in the ibudilast high CRP group relative to the ibudilast low CRP and placebo high CRP groups.Conclusions: This study serves as an initial investigation into predictors of clinical response to ibudilast treatment and suggests that a baseline proinflammatory profile may enhance clinical efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica N Grodin
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lindsay R Meredith
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Burnette
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Karen Miotto
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael R Irwin
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jane & Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lara A Ray
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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19
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Zeng J, You L, Sheng H, Luo Y, Yang X. The differential neural substrates for reward choice under gain-loss contexts and risk in alcohol use disorder: Evidence from a voxel-based meta-analysis. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 248:109912. [PMID: 37182355 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.109912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Making a risky decision is a complex process that involves the evaluation of both the values of the options and the associated risk level; this process is distinct from reward processing in gain versus loss contexts. Although disrupted reward processing in mesolimbic dopamine circuitry is suggested to underlie pathological incentive processing in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD), the differential neural processes subserving these motivational tendencies for risk situations or gain/loss choices in decision-making have not been identified. METHODS To examine the common or distinct neural mechanisms in the evaluation of risk versus outcomes for AUD, we conducted two separate coordinate-based meta-analyses of functional neuroimaging studies by using Seed-Based d Mapping software to evaluate 13 studies investigating gain and loss processing and 10 studies investigating risky decision-making. RESULTS During gain and loss processing, relative to healthy controls, AUD patients showed reduced activation in the mesocortical-limbic circuit, including the orbital prefrontal cortex (OFC), dorsal striatum, insula, hippocampus, cerebellum, cuneus cortex and superior temporal gyrus, but hyperactivation in the inferior temporal gyrus and paracentral lobule (extending to the middle cingulate cortex (MCC) and precuneus). During decision-making under risk, AUD patients exhibited hypoactivity of the prefrontal and cingulate cortices, including the posterior cingulate cortex (extending to the MCC), middle frontal gyrus, medial prefrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, OFC and anterior cingulate cortex. CONCLUSIONS Our results extend existing neurological evidence by showing that a reduced response in the mesocortical-limbic circuit is found in gain versus loss processing, with decreased responsivity in cortical regions in risk decision-making. Our results implicate dissociable neural circuit responses for gain-loss processing and risk decision-making, which contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanism underlying nondrug incentive and risk processing in individuals with AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianguang Zeng
- School of Economics and Business Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lantao You
- School of Economics and Business Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Haoxuan Sheng
- School of Public Policy and Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ya Luo
- Department of Psychiatry, State Key Lab of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xun Yang
- School of Public Policy and Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.
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20
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Wu F, Dong P, Wu G, Deng J, Gao X, Song X, Yuan J, Sun H. The disruption of white matter integrity of systemic striatal circuits in alcohol-dependent males with physiological cue reactivity. Addict Biol 2023; 28:e13273. [PMID: 37016754 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol dependence (AD) is a chronic and relapsing disorder. Conditioned cues associated with the rewarding properties of drugs could trigger motivational/physiological reactions and render subjects vulnerable to relapse. Striatal circuit dysfunction has been implicated in alcohol addiction behaviours. However, little is known about the striatal tracts structural connectivity changes underlying cue induced reactivity in AD. In our present study, we recruited 51 patients with AD; 31 individuals had physiological response. We used seed-based classification by probabilistic tractography with nine target masks to explore the white matter integrity of striatal circuits in physiological responders (N = 31), non-responders (N = 20), and healthy controls (N = 27). Compared with healthy controls, physiological responders showed lower fractional anisotropy (FA) and/or higher mean diffusivity in the striatum-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), striatum-ventral lateral prefrontal cortex, striatum-supplementary motor area (SMA), and striatum-insular. Considering age and smoking are potential nuisances to diffusion parameters, an analysis of covariance also was conducted and similar results were found. We also found the cue-induced physiological response was negatively associated with the FA of the striatum-SMA (r = -0.287; p = 0.045) and left striatum-dlPFC (r = -0.253; p = 0.079) in AD. In our study, we found abnormal integrity of striatal circuit structural connectivity in AD with physiological cue reactivity, especially trajectory from prefrontal cortex and insular. We also found the FA of striatal tracks was negatively associated with the degree of cue reactivity. Our findings provide further evidence for reduced white matter integrity of striatal circuits for cue reactivity in male individuals with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Wu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ping Dong
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Guowei Wu
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Jiahui Deng
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xuejiao Gao
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaopeng Song
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Junliang Yuan
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hongqiang Sun
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China
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21
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Xie L, Rungratanawanich W, Yang Q, Tong G, Fu E, Lu S, Liu Y, Akbar M, Song BJ, Wang X. Therapeutic strategies of small molecules in the microbiota-gut-brain axis for alcohol use disorder. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103552. [PMID: 36907319 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
The microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) is important in maintaining the structure and function of the central nervous system (CNS) and is regulated by the CNS environment and signals from the peripheral tissues. However, the mechanism and function of the MGBA in alcohol use disorder (AUD) are still not completely understood. In this review, we investigate the underlying mechanisms involved in the onset of AUD and/or associated neuronal deficits and create a foundation for better treatment (and prevention) strategies. We summarize recent reports focusing on the alteration of the MGBA in AUD. Importantly, we highlight the properties of small-molecule short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), neurotransmitters, hormones, and peptides in the MGBA and discusses their usage as therapeutic agents against AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lushuang Xie
- Departments of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610075, China
| | - Wiramon Rungratanawanich
- Section of Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20892, USA
| | - Qiang Yang
- Hubei Provincial Key Lab for Quality and Safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Food, Jing Brand Research Institute, Daye, Hubei 435100, China
| | - Guoqiang Tong
- Hubei Provincial Key Lab for Quality and Safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Food, Jing Brand Research Institute, Daye, Hubei 435100, China
| | - Eric Fu
- Departments of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Shiguang Lu
- Hubei Provincial Key Lab for Quality and Safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Food, Jing Brand Research Institute, Daye, Hubei 435100, China
| | - Yuancai Liu
- Hubei Provincial Key Lab for Quality and Safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Food, Jing Brand Research Institute, Daye, Hubei 435100, China
| | - Mohammed Akbar
- Division of Neuroscience & Behavior, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20892, USA
| | - Byoung-Joon Song
- Section of Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Xin Wang
- Departments of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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22
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Cousijn J, Mies G, Runia N, Derksen M, Willuhn I, Lesscher H. The impact of age on olfactory alcohol cue-reactivity: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study in adolescent and adult male drinkers. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2023; 47:668-677. [PMID: 36855285 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescence is marked not only by rapid surges in the prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) but also by remarkable recovery rates, as most adolescent-onset AUDs naturally resolve over time. Little is known about the differential vulnerability of adolescents and adults. Therefore, this study aimed to unravel the moderating role of age by comparing neural alcohol cue-reactivity, an important AUD biomarker, between low-to-high beer-drinking adolescent (n = 50, 16 to 18 years), and adult (n = 51, 30 to 35 years) males matched on drinking severity. METHODS Associations between beer odor-induced brain activity and AUD diagnosis, severity of alcohol use-related problems, recent alcohol use, binge-drinking frequency, and task-induced craving were investigated across and between age groups in regions of interest thought to be central in alcohol cue-reactivity: the medial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and striatal subregions (nucleus accumbens and caudate putamen). These analyses were complemented by exploratory whole-brain analyses. RESULTS Pre-task beer craving increased pre-to-post task in adolescents only. Individual differences in alcohol use, binge drinking, and craving did not relate to beer odor-induced activity. Although region-of-interest analyses did not reach significance, whole-brain analyses showed that adolescents with AUD, compared with adolescents without AUD and adults with AUD, had higher beer odor-induced activity in a large mesocorticolimbic cluster encompassing the right caudate, nucleus accumbens, orbitofrontal cortex, and the olfactory sulcus. Activity in the right caudate and putamen was positively associated with the severity of alcohol use-related problems in adolescents but negatively associated in adults. CONCLUSION These findings suggest a differential role of alcohol cue-reactivity in adolescents compared with adults with AUD and highlight the need for further studies investigating the role of age in the fundamental processes underlying the development of and recovery from of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janna Cousijn
- Neuroscience of Addiction (NofA) Lab, Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gabry Mies
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nora Runia
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maik Derksen
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ingo Willuhn
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Heidi Lesscher
- Unit Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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23
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Naqvi NH, Srivastava AB, Sanchez-Peña J, Lee J, Mariani JJ, Patel GH, Levin FR. Neural correlates of drinking reduction during cognitive behavioral therapy for alcohol use disorder. bioRxiv 2023:2023.02.08.527703. [PMID: 36798260 PMCID: PMC9934652 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.08.527703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD). We hypothesized that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), a brain region implicated in cognitive control and goal-directed behavior, plays a role behavior change during CBT by facilitating regulation of craving. To examine this, treatment-seeking participants with AUD (N=22) underwent functional MRI scanning both before and after a 12-week single-arm trial of CBT, using a regulation of craving (ROC) fMRI task designed to measure an individual's ability to control alcohol craving and previously shown to engage the DLPFC. We found that both the number of heavy drinking days (NHDD, the primary clinical outcome) and the self-reported alcohol craving measured during the ROC paradigm were significantly reduced from pre- to post-CBT [NHDD: t=15.69, p<0.0001; alcohol craving: (F(1,21)=16.16; p=0.0006)]. Contrary to our hypothesis, there was no change in regulation effects on self-reported craving over time (F(1,21)=0.072; p=0.79), nor was there was a significant change in regulation effects over time on activity in any parcel. Searching the whole brain for neural correlates of reductions in drinking and craving after CBT, we found a significant 3-way interaction between the effects of cue-induced alcohol craving, cue-induced brain activity and timepoint of assessment (pre- or post-CBT) on NHDD in a parcel corresponding to area 46 of the right DLPFC (ß=-0.37, p=0.046, FDR corrected). Follow-up analyses showed that reductions in cue-induced alcohol craving from pre- to post-CBT were linearly related to reductions in alcohol cue-induced activity in area 46 only among participants who ceased heavy drinking during CBT (r=0.81, p=0.005) but not among those who continued to drink heavily (r=0.28, p=0.38). These results are consistent with a model in which CBT impacts heavy drinking by increasing the engagement of the DLPFC during cue-induced craving.
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24
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Tan H, Gerchen MF, Bach P, Lee AM, Hummel O, Sommer W, Kirsch P, Kiefer F, Vollstädt-Klein S. Decoding fMRI alcohol cue reactivity and its association with drinking behaviour. BMJ Ment Health 2023; 26:e300639. [PMID: 36822819 PMCID: PMC10035780 DOI: 10.1136/bmjment-2022-300639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cue reactivity, the enhanced sensitivity to conditioned cues, is associated with habitual and compulsive alcohol consumption. However, most previous studies in alcohol use disorder (AUD) compared brain activity between alcohol and neutral conditions, solely as cue-triggered neural reactivity. OBJECTIVE This study aims to find the neural subprocesses during the processing of visual alcohol cues in AUD individuals, and how these neural patterns are predictive for relapse. METHODS Using cue reactivity and rating tasks, we separately modelled the patterns decoding the processes of visual object recognition and reward appraisal of alcohol cues with representational similarity analysis, and compared the decoding involvements (ie, distance between neural responses and hypothesised decoding models) between AUD and healthy individuals. We further explored connectivity between the identified neural systems and the whole brain and predicted relapse within 6 months using decoding involvements of the neural patterns. FINDINGS AUD individuals, compared with healthy individuals, showed higher involvement of motor-related brain regions in decoding visual features, and their reward, habit and executive networks were more engaged in appraising reward values. Connectivity analyses showed the involved neural systems were widely connected with higher cognitive networks during alcohol cue processing in AUD individuals, and decoding involvements of frontal eye fields and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex could contribute to relapse prediction. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide insight into how AUD individuals differently decode alcohol cues compared with healthy participants, from the componential processes of visual object recognition and reward appraisal. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS The identified patterns are suggested as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoye Tan
- Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty of Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Martin Fungisai Gerchen
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty of Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Heidelberg/Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patrick Bach
- Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty of Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Alycia M Lee
- Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty of Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Oliver Hummel
- Faculty of Computer Science, Hochschule Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Sommer
- Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty of Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Bethanian Hospital for Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Peter Kirsch
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty of Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Heidelberg/Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Falk Kiefer
- Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty of Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences (MCTN), Medical Faculty of Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Feuerlein Center on Translational Addiction Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sabine Vollstädt-Klein
- Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty of Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences (MCTN), Medical Faculty of Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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25
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Dieterich R, Endrass T. Neural Correlates of Cue Reactivity and the Regulation of Craving in Substance Use Disorders. Zeitschrift für Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie 2022. [DOI: 10.1026/1616-3443/a000680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract. Theoretical background: Considerable progress has been made in illuminating the neural basis of the compulsive use patterns characterizing substance use disorders. It has been suggested to utilize these findings to alleviate the health burden associated with substance use. Objective: We address how neuroimaging research can provide these benefits. Methods: Based on neurobiological models of addiction, we highlight neuroimaging research elucidating neural predictors of relapse and how treatments modify these markers. Results: With the focus on cue reactivity, brain activity related to the motivational salience of drugs and automatized use behaviors can predict relapse. Cue reactivity changes with abstinence, and it remains to be determined whether such changes confer periods of critical relapse susceptibility. Conclusions: Several established and emerging interventions modulate brain activity associated with drug value. However, executive deficits in addiction may compromise interventions targeting control-related prefrontal brain areas. Lastly, it remains more difficult to change the brain responses mediating habitual behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raoul Dieterich
- Addiction Research, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden), Germany
| | - Tanja Endrass
- Addiction Research, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden), Germany
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26
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Gerhardt S, Hoffmann S, Tan H, Gerchen MF, Kirsch P, Vollstädt-Klein S, Kiefer F, Bach P, Lenz B. Neural cue reactivity is not stronger in male than in female patients with alcohol use disorder. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:1039917. [DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1039917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundMales consume more alcohol than females, and alcohol use disorder (AUD) is more prevalent in males than females. However, females progress faster to AUD. Sex differences in neural alcohol cue reactivity were previously observed in young social drinkers, indicating a role of hypersensitivity to alcohol-related cues in very early stages of addiction. To our knowledge, this is the first study on patients diagnosed with AUD to test sex differences in neural reactivity to alcohol cues in order to widen previous findings.MethodsWe analyzed data from previous studies, using a well-established functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm to compare neural reactivity to alcohol cues between 42 female and 124 male patients with AUD (mean age 45 and 46 years) in predefined regions of interest that were implicated by previous studies (ventral and dorsal striatum as well as caudate, putamen, amygdala, hippocampus, insula, anterior cingulate cortex, and medial prefrontal cortex) using independent samples t-tests. Post-hoc, effect size calculations were performed.ResultsThroughout all nine regions of interest, we found no statistically significant sex differences in neural reactivity toward alcoholic pictures alone or in comparison to neutral pictures (p > 0.05, FDR-corrected). Post-hoc effect size estimates indicated a magnitude between 0.137 and 0.418 (Hedge’s g) on alcohol reactivity to alcohol cues compared to neutral cues and indicate very small to less than medium effect sizes in the direction of higher cue reactivity in female patients.ConclusionPrevious studies showed sex differences in neural alcohol cue reactivity in younger social and problematic alcohol drinkers, i.e., stronger striatal cue-reactivity in males. After correction for multiple comparisons, we did not observe significant sex differences in a cohort of middle-aged females and males with AUD. Sex differences that are present during early phases of addiction development might disappear at later stages of AUD and might thus be considered as clinically less relevant in patients with more severe AUD.
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Zeng J, Yan J, Cao H, Su Y, Song Y, Luo Y, Yang X. Neural substrates of reward anticipation and outcome in schizophrenia: a meta-analysis of fMRI findings in the monetary incentive delay task. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:448. [PMID: 36244990 PMCID: PMC9573872 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02201-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction of the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic reward system is a core feature of schizophrenia (SZ), yet its precise contributions to different stages of reward processing and their relevance to disease symptomology are not fully understood. We performed a coordinate-based meta-analysis, using the monetary incentive delay task, to identify which brain regions are implicated in different reward phases in functional magnetic resonance imaging in SZ. A total of 17 studies (368 SZ and 428 controls) were included in the reward anticipation, and 10 studies (229 SZ and 281 controls) were included in the reward outcome. Our meta-analysis revealed that during anticipation, patients showed hypoactivation in the striatum, anterior cingulate cortex, median cingulate cortex (MCC), amygdala, precentral gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus compared with controls. Striatum hypoactivation was negatively associated with negative symptoms and positively associated with the proportion of second-generation antipsychotic users (percentage of SGA users). During outcome, patients displayed hyperactivation in the striatum, insula, amygdala, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, cerebellum, postcentral gyrus, and MCC, and hypoactivation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Hypoactivity of mPFC during outcome was negatively associated with positive symptoms. Moderator analysis showed that the percentage of SGA users was a significant moderator of the association between symptom severity and brain activity in both the anticipation and outcome stages. Our findings identified the neural substrates for different reward phases in SZ and may help explain the neuropathological mechanisms underlying reward processing deficits in the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianguang Zeng
- grid.190737.b0000 0001 0154 0904School of Economics and Business Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044 China
| | - Jiangnan Yan
- grid.190737.b0000 0001 0154 0904School of Economics and Business Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044 China
| | - Hengyi Cao
- grid.250903.d0000 0000 9566 0634Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Hempstead, NY USA ,grid.440243.50000 0004 0453 5950Division of Psychiatry Research, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, NY USA
| | - Yueyue Su
- grid.190737.b0000 0001 0154 0904School of Public Affairs, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044 China
| | - Yuan Song
- grid.190737.b0000 0001 0154 0904School of Public Affairs, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044 China
| | - Ya Luo
- grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022Department of Psychiatry, State Key Lab of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 China
| | - Xun Yang
- School of Public Affairs, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
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28
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Alarefi A, Alhusaini N, Wang X, Tao R, Rui Q, Gao G, Pang L, Qiu B, Zhang X. Alcohol dependence inpatients classification with GLM and hierarchical clustering integration using fMRI data of alcohol multiple scenario cues. Exp Brain Res 2022; 240:2595-2605. [PMID: 36029312 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-022-06447-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in brain reactions to alcohol-related cues are a neurobiological characteristic of alcohol dependence (AD) and a prospective target for achieving substantial treatment effects. However, a robust prediction of the differences in inpatients' brain responses to alcohol cues during the treatment process is still required. This study offers a data-driven approach for classifying AD inpatients undertaking alcohol treatment protocols based on their brain responses to alcohol imagery with and without drinking actions. The brain activity of thirty inpatients with AD undergoing treatment was scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while seeing alcohol and matched non-alcohol images. The mean values of brain regions of interest (ROI) for alcohol-related brain responses were obtained using general linear modeling (GLM) and subjected to hierarchical clustering analysis. The proposed classification technique identified two distinct subgroups of inpatients. For the two types of cues, subgroup one exhibited significant activation in a wide range of brain regions, while subgroup two showed mainly decreased activation. The proposed technique may aid in detecting the vulnerability of the classified inpatient subgroups, which can suggest allocating the inpatients in the classified subgroups to more effective therapies and developing prognostic future relapse markers in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulqawi Alarefi
- Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Science, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Naji Alhusaini
- School of Computer and Information Engineering, Chuzhou University, Chuzhou, 239099, Anhui, China.,School of Computer Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Xunshi Wang
- Hefei Medical Research Center on Alcohol Addiction, Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, 230017, China
| | - Rui Tao
- Hefei Medical Research Center on Alcohol Addiction, Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, 230017, China
| | - Qinqin Rui
- Hefei Medical Research Center on Alcohol Addiction, Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, 230017, China
| | - Guoqing Gao
- Hefei Medical Research Center on Alcohol Addiction, Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, 230017, China
| | - Liangjun Pang
- Hefei Medical Research Center on Alcohol Addiction, Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, 230017, China
| | - Bensheng Qiu
- Centers for Biomedical Engineering, School of Information Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Xiaochu Zhang
- Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Life Science, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China. .,Hefei Medical Research Center on Alcohol Addiction, Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei Fourth People's Hospital, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, 230017, China. .,Centers for Biomedical Engineering, School of Information Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China. .,Application Technology Center of Physical Therapy to Brain Disorders, Institute of Advanced Technology, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230031, China.
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29
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Vergara VM, Espinoza FA, Calhoun VD. Identifying Alcohol Use Disorder With Resting State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data: A Comparison Among Machine Learning Classifiers. Front Psychol 2022; 13:867067. [PMID: 35756267 PMCID: PMC9226579 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.867067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a burden to society creating social and health problems. Detection of AUD and its effects on the brain are difficult to assess. This problem is enhanced by the comorbid use of other substances such as nicotine that has been present in previous studies. Recent machine learning algorithms have raised the attention of researchers as a useful tool in studying and detecting AUD. This work uses AUD and controls samples free of any other substance use to assess the performance of a set of commonly used machine learning classifiers detecting AUD from resting state functional network connectivity (rsFNC) derived from independent component analysis. The cohort used included 51 alcohol dependent subjects and 51 control subjects. Despite alcohol, none of the 102 subjects reported use of nicotine, cannabis or any other dependence or habit formation substance. Classification features consisted of whole brain rsFNC estimates undergoing a feature selection process using a random forest approach. Features were then fed to 10 different machine learning classifiers to be evaluated based on their classification performance. A neural network classifier showed the highest performance with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.79. Other good performers with similar AUC scores were logistic regression, nearest neighbor, and support vector machine classifiers. The worst results were obtained with Gaussian process and quadratic discriminant analysis. The feature selection outcome pointed to functional connections between visual, sensorimotor, executive control, reward, and salience networks as the most relevant for classification. We conclude that AUD can be identified using machine learning classifiers in the absence of nicotine comorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor M Vergara
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Flor A Espinoza
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Vince D Calhoun
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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30
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Creswell KG, Sayette MA. How laboratory studies of cigarette craving can inform the experimental alcohol craving literature. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:344-358. [PMID: 35037262 PMCID: PMC8920775 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Interest in alcohol and other drug craving has flourished over the past two decades, and evidence has accumulated showing that craving can be meaningfully linked to both drug use and relapse. Considerable human experimental alcohol craving research since 2000 has focused on craving as a clinical phenomenon. Self-reported craving to drink typically has served as a catch-all for the craving construct in these studies, whereas few studies have considered craving as a process (or hypothetical construct) that interacts with other phenomena to affect use. In contrast to alcohol, we believe that recently there has been more mechanistic work targeting cigarette craving-related processes. Here, we briefly present a narrative review of studies of acute alcohol craving in humans that have been conducted during the past two decades. We then specify important ways in which alcohol and tobacco differ (e.g., the role of withdrawal), and we note the unique challenges in inducing robust alcohol craving states in the laboratory. Finally, we offer recommendations for how the alcohol field might advance its conceptual understanding of craving by adopting ideas and methods drawn from the smoking research literature. Specifically, we suggest that researchers extend their studies to not only examine the link between alcohol craving and relapse but also to focus on why and, in some instances, how alcohol cravings matter clinically, and the circumstances under which craving especially matters. We propose research to investigate the shifts in alcohol-related cognitive and affective processing that occur during alcohol craving states. Furthermore, we highlight the value of research examining the level of insight that individuals with varying levels of alcohol involvement possess about their own craving-related processing shifts. We believe that laboratory studies can provide rich opportunities to examine conceptual questions about alcohol craving that are central to addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasey G. Creswell
- Department of PsychologyCarnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Michael A. Sayette
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
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31
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Alarefi A, Wang X, Tao R, Rui Q, Gao G, Wang Y, Pang L, Liu C, Zhang X. Depicting People in Visual Cues Affects Alcohol Cue Reactivity in Male Alcohol-Dependent Patients. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12030307. [PMID: 35326264 PMCID: PMC8946691 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12030307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cue reactivity is often used to study alcohol cues brain responses. Standardized image sets are used, but the effect of viewing people interacting with the alcohol drink remains unclear, which is associated with the factors of alcohol cues that influence the degree of response to alcohol stimuli. The present study used fMRI to investigate the reactivity of alcohol dependence (AD) inpatients to alcohol cues with or without human drinking behavior. Cues with a human interacting with a drink were hypothesized to increase sensorimotor activation. In total, 30 AD inpatients were asked to view pictures with a factorial design of beverage types (alcoholic vs. non-alcoholic beverages) and cue types (with or without drink action). Whole-brain analyses were performed. A correlation analysis was conducted to confirm whether the whole-brain analysis revealed cue-related brain activations correlated with problem drinking duration. The left lingual gyrus showed significant beverage types through cue type interaction, and the bilateral temporal cortex showed significant activation in response to alcohol cues depicting human drinking behavior. The right and left lingual gyrus regions and left temporal cortex were positively correlated with problem drinking duration. Sensorimotor activations in the temporal cortex may reflect self-referential and memory-based scene processing. Thus, our findings indicate these regions are associated with alcohol use and suggest them for cue exposure treatment of alcohol addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulqawi Alarefi
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, School of Life Science, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China; (A.A.); (Y.W.); (C.L.)
| | - Xunshi Wang
- Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei Fourth People’s Hospital, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei 230017, China; (X.W.); (R.T.); (Q.R.); (G.G.)
| | - Rui Tao
- Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei Fourth People’s Hospital, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei 230017, China; (X.W.); (R.T.); (Q.R.); (G.G.)
| | - Qinqin Rui
- Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei Fourth People’s Hospital, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei 230017, China; (X.W.); (R.T.); (Q.R.); (G.G.)
| | - Guoqing Gao
- Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei Fourth People’s Hospital, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei 230017, China; (X.W.); (R.T.); (Q.R.); (G.G.)
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, School of Life Science, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China; (A.A.); (Y.W.); (C.L.)
| | - Liangjun Pang
- Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei Fourth People’s Hospital, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei 230017, China; (X.W.); (R.T.); (Q.R.); (G.G.)
- Correspondence: (L.P.); (X.Z.); Tel.: +86-551-63607295 (X.Z.)
| | - Chialun Liu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, School of Life Science, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China; (A.A.); (Y.W.); (C.L.)
| | - Xiaochu Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, School of Life Science, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China; (A.A.); (Y.W.); (C.L.)
- Affiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei Fourth People’s Hospital, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei 230017, China; (X.W.); (R.T.); (Q.R.); (G.G.)
- Centers for Biomedical Engineering, School of Information Science and Technology, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
- Department of Psychology, School of Humanities & Social Science, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Correspondence: (L.P.); (X.Z.); Tel.: +86-551-63607295 (X.Z.)
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32
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Le TM, Malone T, Li CSR. Positive alcohol expectancy and resting-state functional connectivity of the insula in problem drinking. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 231:109248. [PMID: 34998254 PMCID: PMC8881788 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Positive alcohol expectancy (AE), a significant predictor of excessive alcohol consumption, is associated with heightened drinking motivation and reduced control. As the insula interacts with the limbic and prefrontal structures to integrate stimulus saliency, interoception, and cognitive control, the region may play a unique role in modulating AE. Here, we examined resting-state functional connectivity of the right and left insula in relation to AE in 180 adult drinkers. Whole-brain multiple regressions and path analysis were performed to delineate the inter-relationship between AE, insular connectivity, and drinking severity. We found that heightened AE was associated with diminished right insular connectivity with regions involved in negative emotion processing and self-control, including the amygdala, putamen, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. In contrast, there was a positive relationship between AE and right insular connectivity with regions implicated in motivated responses to alcohol stimuli, including the superior parietal lobule, postcentral and superior frontal gyri. Path analysis showed that the two sets of right insular connectivity exhibited opposing associations with AE and that their net strength (i.e., "control minus motivation") was negatively correlated with AE and drinking severity. Analyses of the left insula seed, in contrast, did not yield regional connectivity in significant correlation with AE. These findings highlight the roles of right insula connectivity in motivational and regulatory processes that may differentially modulate drinking behavior. Recruitment of the motivational circuit and/or disengagement of the affective control circuit would be associated with heightened AE and heavier alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thang M. Le
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA,Correspondence: Thang M. Le, Ph.D., Connecticut Mental Health Center, S105, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06519-1109, USA, , Phone: 203-974-7360
| | - Tessa Malone
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Chiang-Shan R. Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA,Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA,Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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33
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Sasaki J, Matsubara T, Chen C, Fujii Y, Fujita Y, Nakamuta M, Nitta K, Egashira K, Hashimoto T, Nakagawa S. Prefrontal activity during the emotional go/no-go task and computational markers of risk-based decision-making predict future relapse in alcohol use disorder. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1048152. [PMID: 36683993 PMCID: PMC9845941 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1048152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM To longitudinally examine if the results of cognitive tasks or brain function during emotional or cognitive tasks can predict relapse in alcohol use disorder. METHODS We selected 41 patients with alcohol use disorder during hospitalization. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measured the relative change in oxygenated hemoglobin in the frontotemporal areas during an emotional go/no-go task and verbal fluency task (VFT). They performed the N-back and risk-based decision-making tasks for determining working memory or risk-based decision-making. The presence of relapse 6 months following discharge was the primary outcome. RESULTS Twenty-four patients (21 men, three women) remained abstinent, whereas 17 (14 men, three women) relapsed. Compared with the abstinent group, those with relapse displayed significantly decreased activation in the right frontotemporal region during the emotional go/no-go task, significantly shorter reaction time to non-emotional stimuli, and greater risk preference in the risk-based decision-making task. In the abstinent group, we observed a negative correlation between oxygenated hemoglobin and the craving scale. A logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the risk of relapse increased with smaller oxygenated hemoglobin in the right frontotemporal region (odds ratio = 0.161, p = 0.013) and with greater gambling thoughts (odds ratio = 7.04, p = 0.033). CONCLUSION Decreased activation in the right frontotemporal region in response to an emotional stimulus and risk preference could predict relapse in alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Sasaki
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan.,Koryo Hospital, Ube, Japan
| | - Toshio Matsubara
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan
| | - Chong Chen
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan
| | - Yuko Fujii
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Shin Nakagawa
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan
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