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Yang Z, Yang H, Wang W, Zhao H, Meng P, Xie Y, Sun Y. A flexible electrochemical sensor for simultaneous determination of glucose (Glu) and ethanol (Eth) using ZnO and Pd nanoparticles. J APPL ELECTROCHEM 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10800-023-01898-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
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2
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Bach P, de Timary P, Gründer G, Cumming P. Molecular Imaging Studies of Alcohol Use Disorder. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2023. [PMID: 36639552 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2022_414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a serious public health problem in many countries, bringing a gamut of health risks and impairments to individuals and a great burden to society. Despite the prevalence of a disease model of AUD, the current pharmacopeia does not present reliable treatments for AUD; approved treatments are confined to a narrow spectrum of medications engaging inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission and possibly excitatory N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, and opioid receptor antagonists. Molecular imaging with positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can open a window into the living brain and has provided diverse insights into the pathology of AUD. In this narrative review, we summarize the state of molecular imaging findings on the pharmacological action of ethanol and the neuropathological changes associated with AUD. Laboratory and preclinical imaging results highlight the interactions between ethanol and GABA A-type receptors (GABAAR), but the interpretation of such results is complicated by subtype specificity. An abundance of studies with the glucose metabolism tracer fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) concur in showing cerebral hypometabolism after ethanol challenge, but there is relatively little data on long-term changes in AUD. Alcohol toxicity evokes neuroinflammation, which can be tracked using PET with ligands for the microglial marker translocator protein (TSPO). Several PET studies show reversible increases in TSPO binding in AUD individuals, and preclinical results suggest that opioid-antagonists can rescue from these inflammatory responses. There are numerous PET/SPECT studies showing changes in dopaminergic markers, generally consistent with an impairment in dopamine synthesis and release among AUD patients, as seen in a number of other addictions; this may reflect the composite of an underlying deficiency in reward mechanisms that predisposes to AUD, in conjunction with acquired alterations in dopamine signaling. There is little evidence for altered serotonin markers in AUD, but studies with opioid receptor ligands suggest a specific up-regulation of the μ-opioid receptor subtype. Considerable heterogeneity in drinking patterns, gender differences, and the variable contributions of genetics and pre-existing vulnerability traits present great challenges for charting the landscape of molecular imaging in AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Bach
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Philippe de Timary
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc and Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gerhard Gründer
- Department of Molecular Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Paul Cumming
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- International Centre for Education and Research in Neuropsychiatry (ICERN), Samara State Medical University, Samara, Russia
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Rapp C, Hamilton J, Richer K, Sajjad M, Yao R, Thanos PK. Alcohol binge drinking decreases brain glucose metabolism and functional connectivity in adolescent rats. Metab Brain Dis 2022; 37:1901-1908. [PMID: 35567647 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-022-00977-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol misuse represents a serious health concern, especially during adolescence, with approximately 18% of high school students engaging in binge drinking. Despite widespread misuse of alcohol, its effects on how the brain functions is not fully understood. This study utilized a binge drinking model in adolescent rats to examine effects on brain function as measured by brain glucose metabolism (BGluM). Following an injection of [18 FDG] fluro-2-deoxy-D-glucose, rats had voluntary access to either water or various concentrations of ethanol to obtain the following targeted doses: water (no ethanol), low dose ethanol (0.29 ± 0.03 g/kg), moderate dose ethanol (0.98 ± 0.05), and high dose ethanol (2.19 ± 0.23 g/kg). Rats were subsequently scanned using positron emission tomography. All three doses of ethanol were found to decrease BGluM in the restrosplenial cortex, visual cortex, jaw region of the somatosensory cortex, and cerebellum. For both the LD and MD ethanol dose, decreased BGluM was seen in the superior colliculi. The MD ethanol dose also decreased BGluM in the subiculum, frontal association area, as well as the primary motor cortex. Lastly, the HD ethanol dose decreased BGluM in the hippocampus, thalamus, raphe nucleus, inferior colliculus, and the primary motor cortex. Similar decreases in the hippocampus were also seen in the LD group. Taken together, these results highlight the negative consequences of acute binge drinking on BGluM in many regions of the brain involved in sensory, motor, and cognitive processes. Future studies are needed to assess the long-term effects of alcohol binge drinking on brain function as well as its cessation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Rapp
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, State University at New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - John Hamilton
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
- Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States
| | - Kaleigh Richer
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
- Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States
| | - Munawwar Sajjad
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, United States
| | - Rutao Yao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, United States
| | - Panayotis K Thanos
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States.
- Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States.
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Fehsel K, Christl J. Comorbidity of osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease: Is `AKT `-ing on cellular glucose uptake the missing link? Ageing Res Rev 2022; 76:101592. [PMID: 35192961 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2022.101592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are both degenerative diseases. Osteoporosis often proceeds cognitive deficits, and multiple studies have revealed common triggers that lead to energy deficits in brain and bone. Risk factors for osteoporosis and AD, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, aging, chemotherapy, vitamin deficiency, alcohol abuse, and apolipoprotein Eε4 and/or Il-6 gene variants, reduce cellular glucose uptake, and protective factors, such as estrogen, insulin, exercise, mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors, hydrogen sulfide, and most phytochemicals, increase uptake. Glucose uptake is a fine-tuned process that depends on an abundance of glucose transporters (Gluts) on the cell surface. Gluts are stored in vesicles under the plasma membrane, and protective factors cause these vesicles to fuse with the membrane, resulting in presentation of Gluts on the cell surface. This translocation depends mainly on AKT kinase signaling and can be affected by a range of factors. Reduced AKT kinase signaling results in intracellular glucose deprivation, which causes endoplasmic reticulum stress and iron depletion, leading to activation of HIF-1α, the transcription factor necessary for higher Glut expression. The link between diseases and aging is a topic of growing interest. Here, we show that diseases that affect the same biochemical pathways tend to co-occur, which may explain why osteoporosis and/or diabetes are often associated with AD.
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Meinhardt MW, Pfarr S, Fouquet G, Rohleder C, Meinhardt ML, Barroso-Flores J, Hoffmann R, Jeanblanc J, Paul E, Wagner K, Hansson AC, Köhr G, Meier N, von Bohlen und Halbach O, Bell RL, Endepols H, Neumaier B, Schönig K, Bartsch D, Naassila M, Spanagel R, Sommer WH. Psilocybin targets a common molecular mechanism for cognitive impairment and increased craving in alcoholism. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabh2399. [PMID: 34788104 PMCID: PMC8598005 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abh2399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol-dependent patients commonly show impairments in executive functions that facilitate craving and can lead to relapse. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to executive dysfunction in alcoholism are poorly understood, and new effective pharmacological treatments are desired. Here, using a bidirectional neuromodulation approach, we demonstrate a causal link between reduced prefrontal mGluR2 function and both impaired executive control and alcohol craving. A neuron-specific prefrontal mGluR2 knockdown in rats generated a phenotype of reduced cognitive flexibility and excessive alcohol seeking. Conversely, virally restoring prefrontal mGluR2 levels in alcohol-dependent rats rescued these pathological behaviors. In the search for a pharmacological intervention with high translational potential, psilocybin was capable of restoring mGluR2 expression and reducing relapse behavior. Last, we propose a FDG-PET biomarker strategy to identify mGluR2 treatment-responsive individuals. In conclusion, we identified a common molecular pathological mechanism for both executive dysfunction and alcohol craving and provided a personalized mGluR2 mechanism-based intervention strategy for medication development for alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus W. Meinhardt
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
- Corresponding author. (M.W.M.); (W.H.S.); (R.S.)
| | - Simone Pfarr
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Grégory Fouquet
- Université de Picardie Jules Verne, INSERM UMRS, 1247 Amiens, France
| | - Cathrin Rohleder
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Radiochemistry and Experimental Molecular Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Multimodal Imaging, Max Planck Institute for Neurological Research, Cologne, Germany
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Manuela L. Meinhardt
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Janet Barroso-Flores
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rebecca Hoffmann
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jérôme Jeanblanc
- Université de Picardie Jules Verne, INSERM UMRS, 1247 Amiens, France
| | - Elisabeth Paul
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Konstantin Wagner
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Anita C. Hansson
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Georg Köhr
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nils Meier
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | | | - Richard L. Bell
- Department of Psychiatry, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Heike Endepols
- Institute of Radiochemistry and Experimental Molecular Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Multimodal Imaging, Max Planck Institute for Neurological Research, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Nuclear Chemistry (INM-5), Jülich, Germany
| | - Bernd Neumaier
- Institute of Radiochemistry and Experimental Molecular Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Kai Schönig
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Mickaël Naassila
- Université de Picardie Jules Verne, INSERM UMRS, 1247 Amiens, France
| | - Rainer Spanagel
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
- Corresponding author. (M.W.M.); (W.H.S.); (R.S.)
| | - Wolfgang H. Sommer
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- Corresponding author. (M.W.M.); (W.H.S.); (R.S.)
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Kim K, Choi HY, Pak K, Jeon H. Changes in brain glucose metabolism following traumatic optic neuropathy in rats. ALL LIFE 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/26895293.2020.1861110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Keunyoung Kim
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea
- Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea
| | - Hee-young Choi
- Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea
- Department of Ophthalmology, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea
| | - Kyoungjune Pak
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea
- Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea
| | - Hyeshin Jeon
- Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea
- Department of Ophthalmology, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea
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Yang K, Yang Q, Niu Y, Fan F, Chen S, Luo X, Tan S, Wang Z, Tong J, Yang F, Le TM, Li CSR, Tan Y. Cortical Thickness in Alcohol Dependent Patients With Apathy. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:364. [PMID: 32431630 PMCID: PMC7214693 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Many studies reported structural brain changes in patients with alcohol dependence (PADs). However, no studies identified structural correlates of apathy that might aggravate alcohol misuse. Here, we explored regional differences in cortical thickness in PADs relative to healthy controls (HCs), and examined the potential correlation of regional thickness with the severity of apathy. METHODS Magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 33 male PADs and 35 male age- and education-matched HCs. We used the FreeSurfer software to investigate group differences in cortical thickness across 148 regions. Apathy was evaluated using the Lille Apathy Rating Scale-Informant (LARS-I). Regression analyses examined the relationship between cortical thickness of regions of interest and apathy score in PADs. RESULTS Compared to HCs, PADs showed significant decreases in the cortical thickness of occipito-temporal cortex (OTC), including the left middle occipital gyrus and occipital pole, right superior occipital gyri, and bilateral lingual gyrus; bilateral superior parietal cortex (SPC), including the right intraparietal sulcus; and bilateral inferior parietal cortex (IPC). Furthermore, the cortical thickness of all of the three regions was negatively correlated with the apathy total scores. The cortical thickness of the IPC was also negatively correlated with the action initiation subscore of the LARS-I. CONCLUSIONS The current results suggest the thickness of bilateral parietal and occipital temporal cortices as neural markers of apathy in PADs. These findings add to the literature by identifying the neural bases of a critical clinical feature of individuals with alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kebing Yang
- Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qingyan Yang
- Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yajuan Niu
- Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Fengmei Fan
- Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Song Chen
- Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xingguang Luo
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Shuping Tan
- Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiren Wang
- Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jinghui Tong
- Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Fude Yang
- Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Thang M. Le
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Chiang-Shan R. Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Yunlong Tan
- Peking University Huilongguan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
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Jacob A, Wang P. Alcohol Intoxication and Cognition: Implications on Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:102. [PMID: 32116535 PMCID: PMC7029710 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Binge alcohol drinking is highly prevalent in young adults and results in 30% deaths per year in young males. Binge alcohol drinking or acute alcohol intoxication is a risk factor for developing alcohol use disorder (AUD). Three FDA approved drugs are currently in use as therapy for AUD; however, all of them have contra-indications and limitations. Structural brain imaging studies in alcoholics have shown defects in the brain regions involved in memory, cognition and emotional processing. Positron emission tomography (PET) using radiotracers (e.g., 18FDG) and measuring brain glucose metabolism have demonstrated diagnostic and prognostic utility in evaluating patients with cognitive impairment. Using PET imaging, only a few exclusive human studies have addressed the relationship between alcohol intoxication and cognition. Those studies indicate that alcohol intoxication causes reduction in brain activity. Consistent with prior findings, a recent study by us showed that acute alcohol intoxication reduced brain activity in the cortical and subcortical regions including the temporal lobe consisting the hippocampus. Additionally, we have observed a strong correlation between reduction in metabolic activity and spatial cognition impairment in the hippocampus after binge alcohol exposure. We have also demonstrated the involvement of a stress response protein, cold inducible RNA binding protein (CIRP), as a potential mechanistic mediator in acute alcohol intoxication. In this review, we will first discuss in detail prior human PET imaging studies on alcohol intoxication as well as our recent study on acute alcohol intoxication, and review the existing literature on potential mechanisms of acute alcohol intoxication-induced cognitive impairment and therapeutic strategies to mitigate these impairments. Finally, we will highlight the importance of studying brain regions as part of a brain network in delineating the mechanism of acute alcohol intoxication-induced cognitive impairment to aid in the development of therapeutics for such indication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asha Jacob
- Center for Immunology and Inflammation, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, United States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Ping Wang
- Center for Immunology and Inflammation, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, United States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, United States
- Department of Surgery, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, United States
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Fritz M, Klawonn AM, Zahr NM. Neuroimaging in alcohol use disorder: From mouse to man. J Neurosci Res 2019; 100:1140-1158. [PMID: 31006907 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
This article provides an overview of recent advances in understanding the effects of alcohol use disorders (AUD) on the brain from the perspective of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research in preclinical models and clinical studies. As a noninvasive investigational tool permitting assessment of morphological, metabolic, and hemodynamic changes over time, MRI offers insight into the dynamic course of alcoholism beginning with initial exposure through periods of binge drinking and escalation, sobriety, and relapse and has been useful in differential diagnosis of neurological diseases associated with AUD. Structural MRI has revealed acute and chronic effects of alcohol on both white and gray matter volumes. MR Spectroscopy, able to quantify brain metabolites in vivo, has shed light on biochemical alterations associated with alcoholism. Diffusion tensor imaging permits microstructural characterization of white matter fiber tracts. Functional MRI has allowed for elucidation of hemodynamic responses at rest and during task engagement. Positron emission tomography, a non-MRI imaging tool, has led to a deeper understanding of alcohol-induced receptor and neurotransmitter changes during various stages of drinking and abstinence. Together, such in vivo imaging tools have expanded our understanding of the dynamic course of alcoholism including evidence for regional specificity of the effects of AUD, hints at mechanisms underlying the shift from casual to compulsive use of alcohol, and profound recovery with sustained abstinence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Fritz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Anna M Klawonn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Natalie M Zahr
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.,Neuroscience Program, SRI International, Menlo Park, California
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