1
|
Conti AA, Tolomeo S, Baldacchino A, Steele JD. Blunted midbrain reward activation during smoking withdrawal: a preliminary study. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1426506. [PMID: 39015373 PMCID: PMC11250069 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1426506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Tobacco smoking is the leading preventable cause of death, causing more than six million deaths annually worldwide, mainly due to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Many habitual smokers try to stop smoking but only about 7% are successful, despite widespread knowledge of the risks. Development of addiction to a range of substances is associated with progressive blunting of brain reward responses and sensitisation of stress responses, as described by the allostasis theory of addiction. There is pre-clinical evidence from rodents for a dramatic decrease in brain reward function during nicotine withdrawal. Methods Here we tested the hypothesis that habitual smokers would also exhibit blunted reward function during nicotine withdrawal using a decision-making task and fMRI. Results Our findings supported this hypothesis, with midbrain reward-related responses particularly blunted. We also tested the hypothesis that smokers with a longer duration of smoking would have more pronounced abnormalities. Contrary to expectations, we found that a shorter duration of smoking in younger smokers was associated with the most marked abnormalities, with blunted midbrain reward related activation including the dopaminergic ventral tegmental area. Discussion Given the substantial mortality associated with smoking, and the small percent of people who manage to achieve sustained abstinence, further translational studies on nicotine addiction mechanisms are indicated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A. A. Conti
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Population and Behavioural Science Division, School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St. Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - S. Tolomeo
- Institute of High Performance Computing, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - A. Baldacchino
- Population and Behavioural Science Division, School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St. Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - J. D. Steele
- Division of Imaging Science and Technology, Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Mendes PFS, Baia-da-Silva DC, Melo WWP, Bittencourt LO, Souza-Rodrigues RD, Fernandes LMP, Maia CDSF, Lima RR. Neurotoxicology of alcohol: a bibliometric and science mapping analysis. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1209616. [PMID: 37593178 PMCID: PMC10427875 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1209616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol consumption is common in many societies and has increased considerably, resulting in many socioeconomic and public health problems. In this sense, studies have been carried out in order to understand the mechanisms involved in alcohol consumption and related harmful effects. This study aimed to identify and map the knowledge and to perform bibliometric analysis of the neurotoxicology of alcohol based on the 100 most cited articles. A search was carried out in the Web of Science Core Collection database and information was extracted regarding the journal, authors, keywords, year of publication, number of citations, country and continent of the corresponding author. For each selected manuscript, the study design, alcohol exposure model, dose, period of exposure, and effect on the central nervous system and research hotspots were mapped. The journal with the highest number of publications was Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research (n = 11 papers), the author who contributed the most was Crews FT (n = 8 papers), the studies had a total of 288 keywords and 75% of the publications were from the United States of America. The experimental studies evaluated the effects of prenatal and postnatal exposure and were conducted in rats and mice using doses ranging from 2.5 to 14 g/kg/day, with administration by subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intragastric, or inhalation route or with free access through drinking bottles. Among the studies mapped, the oldest one (1989) aimed to understand the systemic damage and mechanisms of action involved, while the most recent focused on understanding the receptors and mechanisms involved in addiction, as well as genetic factors. Our results show the panorama of the most widespread scientific production in the scientific community on the neurotoxicology of ethanol, a high prevalence was observed in studies that addressed fetal alcohol syndrome and/or the effects of ethanol on neurodevelopment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Fernando Santos Mendes
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Daiane Claydes Baia-da-Silva
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Wallacy Watson Pereira Melo
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Oliveira Bittencourt
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Renata Duarte Souza-Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Luanna Melo Pereira Fernandes
- Department of Morphology and Physiological Sciences, Center of Sciences Biological and Health, State University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | | | - Rafael Rodrigues Lima
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Johnstone S, Courtenay K, Girard TA. Binge drinking indirectly predicts a negative emotional memory bias through coping motivations and depressive symptoms: The role of sex/gender. Front Psychol 2022; 13:998364. [DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.998364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundIn this three-part study, we investigate whether the associations between binge and problematic drinking patterns with a negative emotional memory bias (NMB) are indirectly related through coping motivations and depressive symptoms. We also address potential sex differences in these relations.MethodsParticipants (N = 293) completed the Timeline Followback to assess binge drinking, the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) to assess problematic alcohol use, the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised to assess coping motivations, and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-21 to assess depression. Participants were asked to identify whether 30 emotional sentences were self-referent or not in an incidental encoding task; 24 h later they were asked to recall as many sentences as possible and a negative memory bias score was calculated.ResultsAcross all three studies, we found significant bivariate relations between AUDIT scores, coping, depression, and an NMB, particularly for sentences participants deemed self-referent. In two undergraduate samples, there were significant indirect effects through coping motivations and depressive symptoms between binge drinking and an NMB in females as well as between AUDIT scores and an NMB in females only. In the community sample, there was only an indirect effect through coping motives, but this was observed in both females and males.ConclusionThese findings support a relation between binge drinking as well as problematic alcohol use and a self-referent NMB in the context of coping motivations for alcohol use and depressive symptoms. Moreover, the pattern of findings suggests this model primarily holds for females, yet may also apply to males at higher levels of problematic alcohol use.
Collapse
|
4
|
Aguinaldo LD, Coronado C, Gomes DA, Courtney KE, Jacobus J. Application of the RDoC Framework to Predict Alcohol Use and Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors among Early Adolescents in the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12070935. [PMID: 35884741 PMCID: PMC9315509 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12070935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use confers risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors (ideation, attempt) in early adolescents. The Research Domain Criteria provides a framework for examination of multidimensional and modifiable risk factors. We examined distinct latent profiles based on patterns of positive valence (reward responsivity) and cognitive systems (neurocognition) from the ABCD Study (age 9−10, N = 10,414) at baseline enrollment. Longitudinal associations were determined between baseline positive valence and cognitive profiles and group classification (alcohol use, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, or their co-occurrence) two-years after initial assessment (ages 11−12). Three unique profiles of positive valence, cognition, alcohol use, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors were identified. Two baseline profiles predicted alcohol use and suicidal thoughts and behaviors, two-years after initial assessment. Low positive valence with high cognition (but low impulsivity) predicted alcohol use (OR = 1.414, p< 0.001), while high positive valence with low cognition (but high impulsivity) predicted suicidal thoughts and behaviors (OR = 1.25, p = 0.038), compared to average positive valence and cognition. Unique profiles of positive valence and cognitive systems among 9−12-year-olds may be predictive of alcohol use and suicidal thoughts and behaviors over a two-year period. Findings underscore the potential for trajectory research on positive valence and cognitive profiles to enhance prevention for early-adolescents.
Collapse
|
5
|
Garfield JB, Cheetham A, Allen NB, Sanfilippo PG, Lubman DI. Startle-elicited Event-Related Potentials to Affective Stimuli are Associated with Recent Illicit Opioid use among Patients Receiving Opioid Agonist Treatment. Clin EEG Neurosci 2022; 53:297-306. [PMID: 34971328 DOI: 10.1177/15500594211070100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Opioid use disorder (OUD) has been linked to exaggerated attentional, affective, and arousal responses to opioid-related stimuli, as well as altered responses to other affective (eg, naturally rewarding or aversive) stimuli, particularly blunted responses to pleasant/rewarding stimuli. Both exaggerated responses to drug-related stimuli and reduced response to pleasant stimuli may influence the course of OUD and its treatment, however interpretation of studies thus far is limited by methodological issues. In the present study, we examined subjective ratings, and attenuation of the P3 component of the acoustic startle-evoked event-related potential (as a measure of attention), while viewing neutral, pleasant, unpleasant, and drug-related images. Participants prescribed opioid agonist treatment (OAT) for OUD (n = 82) were compared to a carefully-matched control group (n = 33) and to recently-abstinent participants with OUD (n = 22). Relative to controls, participants prescribed OAT gave higher positive valence ratings of drug images, and blunted valence responses to other affective images, but groups did not differ in terms of arousal ratings or P3 amplitude. Within the OAT group, linear modeling of associations between frequency of recent illicit opioid use and startle P3 amplitude found an association between increased recent illicit opioid use and reduced attention to pleasant, relative to unpleasant, images. The latter finding may have implications for interventions targeting cognitive biases in people with substance use disorder. In particular, they suggest that enhancing attention to pleasant stimuli may be as, if not more important, than the typical approach of trying to reduce attentional bias to drug-related stimuli.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Bb Garfield
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, 2541Monash University, Australia.,Turning Point, 1890Eastern Health, Australia
| | - Ali Cheetham
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, 2541Monash University, Australia.,Turning Point, 1890Eastern Health, Australia
| | | | - Paul G Sanfilippo
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, 2541Monash University, Australia.,Turning Point, 1890Eastern Health, Australia
| | - Dan I Lubman
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, 2541Monash University, Australia.,Turning Point, 1890Eastern Health, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Komarnyckyj M, Retzler C, Cao Z, Ganis G, Murphy A, Whelan R, Fouragnan EF. At-risk alcohol users have disrupted valence discrimination during reward anticipation. Addict Biol 2022; 27:e13174. [PMID: 35470555 PMCID: PMC9286798 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder is characterised by disrupted reward learning, underpinned by dysfunctional cortico-striatal reward pathways, although relatively little is known about the biology of reward processing in populations who engage in risky alcohol use. Cues that trigger reward anticipation can be categorized according to their learnt valence (i.e., positive vs. negative outcomes) and motivational salience (i.e., incentive vs. neutral cues). Separating EEG signals associated with these dimensions is challenging because of their inherent collinearity, but the recent application of machine learning methods to single EEG trials affords a solution. Here, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to quantify risky alcohol use, with participants split into high alcohol (HA) (n = 22, mean AUDIT score: 13.82) and low alcohol (LA) (n = 22, mean AUDIT score: 5.77) groups. We applied machine learning multivariate single-trial classification to the electroencephalography (EEG) data collected during reward anticipation. The LA group demonstrated significant valence discrimination in the early stages of reward anticipation within the cue-P3 time window (400-550 ms), whereas the HA group was insensitive to valence within this time window. Notably, the LA, but not the HA group demonstrated a relationship between single-trial variability in the early valence component and reaction times for gain and loss trials. This study evidences disrupted hypoactive valence sensitivity in the HA group, revealing potential neurophysiological markers for risky drinking behaviours which place individuals at-risk of adverse health events.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mica Komarnyckyj
- Centre for Cognition and Neuroscience University of Huddersfield Huddersfield UK
| | - Chris Retzler
- Centre for Cognition and Neuroscience University of Huddersfield Huddersfield UK
| | - Zhipeng Cao
- School of Psychology Trinity College Dublin Dublin Ireland
- Department of Psychiatry University of Vermont College of Medicine Burlington Vermont USA
| | - Giorgio Ganis
- School of Psychology University of Plymouth Plymouth UK
- Brain Research Imaging Centre, Faculty of Health University of Plymouth Plymouth UK
| | - Anna Murphy
- Centre for Cognition and Neuroscience University of Huddersfield Huddersfield UK
| | - Robert Whelan
- School of Psychology Trinity College Dublin Dublin Ireland
| | - Elsa Florence Fouragnan
- School of Psychology University of Plymouth Plymouth UK
- Brain Research Imaging Centre, Faculty of Health University of Plymouth Plymouth UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Tolomeo S, Baldacchino A, Volkow ND, Steele JD. Protracted abstinence in males with an opioid use disorder: partial recovery of nucleus accumbens function. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:81. [PMID: 35217657 PMCID: PMC8881207 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01813-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioid use disorder (OUD) affects more than 27 million people globally accounting for more than 300,000 deaths annually. Protracted abstinence among individuals with OUD is rare due to a high relapse rate among those not receiving medications for OUD. Extensive preclinical studies form the basis of the allostasis theory, which proposes long-lasting functional brain abnormalities that persist after opioid withdrawal and contribute to relapse. Few studies have tested the allostasis theory in humans using neuroimaging. Here, we used fMRI and an instrumental learning task to test allostasis theory predictions (ATP) of functional abnormalities in both positive valence (PVS) and negative valence (NVS) accumbens systems in OUD patients with protracted abstinence (n = 15), comparing them with OUD patients receiving methadone treatment (MT) (n = 33), and with healthy controls (n = 23). As hypothesized, protracted abstinence OUD patients showed incomplete recovery of nucleus accumbens function, as evidenced by the blunted response to aversive events (NVS) during negative reinforcement, as observed in MT patients. In contrast, their accumbens response to rewarding events (PVS) during positive reinforcement was similar to that of controls and different from that in MT patients whose response was blunted. Protracted abstinence OUD patients also showed improvements in depression symptoms compared to MT patients. Residual depressive symptoms and pre-MT intravenous drug measures were associated with worse accumbens function in protracted abstinence. These results support the ATP of long-lasting dysfunction of NVS after withdrawal and show preliminary evidence of recovery of PVS function with protracted withdrawal. Therapeutic strategies that target NVS may facilitate recovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Serenella Tolomeo
- Social and Cognitive Computing Department, Institute of High Performance Computing, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Alex Baldacchino
- grid.11914.3c0000 0001 0721 1626Division of Population and Behavioral Science, Medical School, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Nora D. Volkow
- grid.420090.f0000 0004 0533 7147National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - J. Douglas Steele
- grid.8241.f0000 0004 0397 2876Division of Imaging Science and Technology, Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Simon L, Edwards S, Molina PE. Pathophysiological Consequences of At-Risk Alcohol Use; Implications for Comorbidity Risk in Persons Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Front Physiol 2022; 12:758230. [PMID: 35115952 PMCID: PMC8804300 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.758230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
At-risk alcohol use is a significant risk factor associated with multisystemic pathophysiological effects leading to multiorgan injury and contributing to 5.3% of all deaths worldwide. The alcohol-mediated cellular and molecular alterations are particularly salient in vulnerable populations, such as people living with HIV (PLWH), diminishing their physiological reserve, and accelerating the aging process. This review presents salient alcohol-associated mechanisms involved in exacerbation of cardiometabolic and neuropathological comorbidities and their implications in the context of HIV disease. The review integrates consideration of environmental factors, such as consumption of a Western diet and its interactions with alcohol-induced metabolic and neurocognitive dyshomeostasis. Major alcohol-mediated mechanisms that contribute to cardiometabolic comorbidity include impaired substrate utilization and storage, endothelial dysfunction, dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and hypertension. Neuroinflammation and loss of neurotrophic support in vulnerable brain regions significantly contribute to alcohol-associated development of neurological deficits and alcohol use disorder risk. Collectively, evidence suggests that at-risk alcohol use exacerbates cardiometabolic and neurocognitive pathologies and accelerates biological aging leading to the development of geriatric comorbidities manifested as frailty in PLWH.
Collapse
|