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Li X, Ramos-Rolón AP, Kass G, Pereira-Rufino LS, Shifman N, Shi Z, Volkow ND, Wiers CE. Imaging neuroinflammation in individuals with substance use disorders. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e172884. [PMID: 38828729 PMCID: PMC11142750 DOI: 10.1172/jci172884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests a role of neuroinflammation in substance use disorders (SUDs). This Review presents findings from neuroimaging studies assessing brain markers of inflammation in vivo in individuals with SUDs. Most studies investigated the translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) using PET; neuroimmune markers myo-inositol, choline-containing compounds, and N-acetyl aspartate using magnetic resonance spectroscopy; and fractional anisotropy using MRI. Study findings have contributed to a greater understanding of neuroimmune function in the pathophysiology of SUDs, including its temporal dynamics (i.e., acute versus chronic substance use) and new targets for SUD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Li
- Center for Studies of Addiction, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Astrid P. Ramos-Rolón
- Center for Studies of Addiction, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Gabriel Kass
- Center for Studies of Addiction, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lais S. Pereira-Rufino
- Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Naomi Shifman
- Center for Studies of Addiction, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Zhenhao Shi
- Center for Studies of Addiction, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nora D. Volkow
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Corinde E. Wiers
- Center for Studies of Addiction, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Ueno F, Sakuma M, Nakajima S, Tsugawa S, Ochi R, Tani H, Noda Y, Graff-Guerrero A, Uchida H, Mimura M, Oshima S, Matsushita S. Acetaldehyde-mediated increase in glutamatergic and N-acetylaspartate neurometabolite levels in the midcingulate cortex of ALDH2*1/*2 heterozygous young adults. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 48:58-71. [PMID: 38206287 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To elucidate the neurobiology underlying alcohol's effect on the human brain, we examined the acute effects of moderate alcohol administration on levels of glutamatergic neurometabolites and N-acetylaspartate, an amino acid found in neurons, may reflect disordered neuronal integrity. METHODS Eighteen healthy Japanese participants (7 males/11 females) aged 20-30 years who were heterozygous for an inactive allele of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH/*1/*2) were included. Participants underwent an intravenous alcohol infusion using the clamp method at a target blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.50 mg/mL for 90 min within a range of ±0.05 mg/mL. We examined glutamate + glutamine (Glx) and N-acetylaspartate N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAA) levels in the midcingulate cortex (MCC) using 3 T 1 H-MRS PRESS at baseline, 90 min, and 180 min (i.e., 90 min after alcohol infusion was finished). A two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to assess longitudinal changes in Glx and NAA levels, with time and sex as within- and between-subject factors, respectively. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated among neurometabolite levels and BAC or blood acetaldehyde concentration (BAAC). RESULTS Both Glx (F(2,32) = 8.15, p = 0.004, η2 = 0.15) and NAA (F(2,32) = 5.01, p = 0.04, η2 = 0.07) levels were increased after alcohol injection. There were no sex or time × sex interaction effects observed. NAA levels were positively correlated with BAAC at 90 min (r(13) = 0.77, p = 0.01). There were no associations between neurometabolite levels and BAC. CONCLUSIONS Both Glx and NAA levels in the MCC increased in response to the administration of moderate concentrations of alcohol. Given positive associations between NAA levels and BAAC and the hypothetical glutamate release via dopamine pathways, the effects of drinking on the MCC in the acute phase may be ascribed to acetaldehyde metabolized from alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumihiko Ueno
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center, Yokosuka, Japan
| | | | - Shinichiro Nakajima
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sakiko Tsugawa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryo Ochi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideaki Tani
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Noda
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ariel Graff-Guerrero
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, CAMH, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hiroyuki Uchida
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaru Mimura
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shunji Oshima
- Sustainable Technology Laboratories, Asahi Quality and Innovations, Ltd., Moriya, Japan
| | - Sachio Matsushita
- National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center, Yokosuka, Japan
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Yoder KK, Chumin EJ, Mustafi SM, Kolleck KA, Halcomb ME, Hile KL, Plawecki MH, O'Connor SJ, Dzemidzic M, Wu YC. Effects of acute alcohol exposure and chronic alcohol use on neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) parameters. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:1465-1472. [PMID: 37209164 PMCID: PMC10594986 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06380-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Little is known about how acute and chronic alcohol exposure may alter the in vivo membrane properties of neurons. OBJECTIVES We employed neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) to examine acute and chronic effects of alcohol exposure on neurite density. METHODS Twenty-one healthy social drinkers (CON) and thirteen nontreatment-seeking individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) underwent a baseline multi-shell diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) scan. A subset (10 CON, 5 AUD) received dMRI during intravenous infusions of saline and alcohol during dMRI. NODDI parametric images included orientation dispersion (OD), isotropic volume fraction (ISOVF), and corrected intracellular volume fraction (cICVF). Diffusion tensor imaging metrics of fractional anisotropy and mean, axial, and radial diffusivity (FA, MD, AD, RD) were also computed. Average parameter values were extracted from white matter (WM) tracts defined by the Johns Hopkins University atlas. RESULTS There were group differences in FA, RD, MD, OD, and cICVF, primarily in the corpus callosum. Both saline and alcohol had effects on AD and cICVF in WM tracts proximal to the striatum, cingulate, and thalamus. This is the first work to indicate that acute fluid infusions may alter WM properties, which are conventionally believed to be insensitive to acute pharmacological challenges. It also suggests that the NODDI approach may be sensitive to transient changes in WM. The next steps should include determining if the effect on neurite density differs with solute or osmolality, or both, and translational studies to assess how alcohol and osmolality affect the efficiency of neurotransmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karmen K Yoder
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH Ste. 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
- Center for Neuroimaging, Indiana Institute of Biomedical Imaging, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH Ste. 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, 320 W. 15th Street, Ste. 414, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
| | - Evgeny J Chumin
- Center for Neuroimaging, Indiana Institute of Biomedical Imaging, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH Ste. 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, 320 W. 15th Street, Ste. 414, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, 1101 E 10th St, IN, 47405, Bloomington, USA
- Indiana University Network Science Institute, Indiana University, 1015 E 11th St, Bloomington, IN, 47408, USA
| | - Sourajit M Mustafi
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH Ste. 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Center for Neuroimaging, Indiana Institute of Biomedical Imaging, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH Ste. 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Kelly A Kolleck
- Indiana University School of Medicine, 340 W. 10th St., Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Meredith E Halcomb
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH Ste. 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Center for Neuroimaging, Indiana Institute of Biomedical Imaging, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH Ste. 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Karen L Hile
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH Ste. 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Center for Neuroimaging, Indiana Institute of Biomedical Imaging, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH Ste. 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Martin H Plawecki
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH Ste. 4800, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Sean J O'Connor
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH Ste. 4800, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Mario Dzemidzic
- Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH Ste. 4700, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Yu-Chien Wu
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH Ste. 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Center for Neuroimaging, Indiana Institute of Biomedical Imaging, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH Ste. 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, 320 W. 15th Street, Ste. 414, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
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Grodin EN, Burnette EM, O’Neill J, Alger J, Ray LA. Alcohol Craving and Severity are Associated with Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Choline Levels in Individuals with an Alcohol Use Disorder. Alcohol Alcohol 2023; 58:289-297. [PMID: 36939375 PMCID: PMC10168708 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agad014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has been used to probe inflammation in the brain. While altered MRS metabolite levels have previously been found in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD), the relationship between potential metabolite markers of inflammation and the clinical correlates of AUD remains understudied. Therefore, this exploratory study sought to elucidate the clinical significance of inflammation in AUD by examining relationships between metabolites, AUD severity, alcohol consumption, and craving in individuals with AUD. METHODS Data for this secondary analysis are derived from a two-week clinical trial of ibudilast to treat AUD. Forty-three non-treatment-seeking individuals with an AUD (26M/17F) completed an MRS scan and alcohol-related questionnaires. MRS was performed using a multi-voxel array placed above the corpus callosum, extending from the pregnenual anterior cingulate to premotor cortex. The dorsal anterior cingulate was selected as the volume of interest. Metabolite levels of choline-compounds (Cho), myo-inositol (mI), and creatine+phosphocreatine (Cr) were quantified. Separate hierarchical regression models were used to evaluate the independent effects of metabolite levels on alcohol craving, alcohol problem severity, and alcohol consumption. RESULTS Dorsal anterior cingulate Cho predicted alcohol craving and alcohol problem severity over and above demographics, medication, and alcohol consumption measures. mI and Cr did not predict alcohol craving or alcohol problem severity. Metabolite markers were not predictive of alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS This preliminary study indicates that dACC Cho is sensitive to clinical characteristics of AUD. This is a further step in advancing neurometabolites, particularly Cho, as potential biomarkers and treatment targets for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica N Grodin
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Elizabeth M Burnette
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Joseph O’Neill
- Jane & Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
- Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Jeffry Alger
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, MC 708522, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Lara A Ray
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
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Zhao Y, Skandali N, Bethlehem RAI, Voon V. Mesial Prefrontal Cortex and Alcohol Misuse: Dissociating Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Relationships in UK Biobank. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:907-916. [PMID: 35589437 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol misuse is a major global public health issue. The disorder is characterized by aberrant neural networks interacting with environment and genetics. Dissecting the neural substrates and functional networks that relate to longitudinal changes in alcohol use from those that relate to alcohol misuse cross-sectionally is important to elucidate therapeutic approaches. METHODS To assess how neuroimaging data, including T1, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, and diffusion-weighted imaging, relate to alcohol misuse cross-sectionally and longitudinally in the UK Biobank, this study analyzed range of alcohol misuse in a population-based normative sample of 24,784 participants, ages 45 to 81 years old, in a cross-sectional analysis and a sample of 3070 participants in a longitudinal analysis 2 years later. RESULTS Cross-sectional analysis showed that alcohol use is associated with a reduction in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex gray matter concentration and functional resting-state connectivity (nodal degree: t24,422 = -12.99, p < 1 × 10-17). Reduced dorsal anterior cingulate cortex/dorsomedial prefrontal cortex functional connections to the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and striatum relate to greater alcohol use. In a longitudinal analysis, higher resting-state nodal degree (t3036 = -3.27, p = .0011) and T1 gray matter concentration in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex relate to reduced alcohol intake frequency 2 years later. Higher ventromedial prefrontal cortex and frontoparietal executive network functional connectivity is associated with lower subsequent drinking longitudinally. CONCLUSIONS Dorsal versus ventromedial prefrontal regions are differentially related to alcohol misuse cross-sectionally or longitudinally in a large UK Biobank normative dataset. Our study provides a comprehensive understanding of the neurobiological substrates of alcohol use as a state or prospectively, thereby providing potential targets for clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhao
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - Nikolina Skandali
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Valerie Voon
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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