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Malewska-Kasprzak M, Skibińska M, Dmitrzak-Węglarz M. Alterations in Neurotrophins in Alcohol-Addicted Patients during Alcohol Withdrawal. Brain Sci 2024; 14:583. [PMID: 38928583 PMCID: PMC11202159 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14060583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is related to mental and somatic disorders that result in alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS), with 30% of AWS cases leading to life-threatening delirium tremens (DTs). Currently, studies do not support using any one biomarker in DTs. Neurotrophins affect neuromodulation, playing a role in the pathogenesis of AUD, AWS, and DTs. METHODS This review aims to summarize experimental and clinical data related to neurotrophins and S100B in neuroplasticity, as well as neurodegeneration in the context of AUD, AWS, and DTs. This work used publications that were selected based on the protocol consistent with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. RESULTS The BDNF level could be a good candidate biomarker for relapse susceptibility, as it is significantly reduced during consumption and gradually increases during abstinence. GDNF influences AUD through its integral role in the function of dopaminergic neurons and ablates the return to alcohol-drinking behavior. NGF protects neurons from ethanol-induced cytotoxic damage and affects recovery from cognitive deficits after brain damage. The NT-3 level is decreased after alcohol exposure and is involved in compensatory mechanisms for cognitive decline in AUD. NT-4 affects oxidative stress, which is associated with chronic alcohol consumption. S100B is used as a biomarker of brain damage, with elevated levels in serum in AUD, and can protect 5-HT neurons from the damage caused by alcohol. CONCLUSIONS BDNF, GDNF, NT-3, NT-4, NGF, and S100B may be valuable markers for withdrawal syndrome. In particular, the most relevant is their association with the development of delirium complications. However, there are few data concerning some neurotrophins in AWS and DTs, suggesting the need for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Skibińska
- Department of Psychiatric Genetics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Monika Dmitrzak-Węglarz
- Department of Psychiatric Genetics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland;
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2
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Meyers JL, Brislin SJ, Kamarajan C, Plawecki MH, Chorlian D, Anohkin A, Kuperman S, Merikangas A, Pandey G, Kinreich S, Pandey A, Edenberg HJ, Bucholz KK, Almasy L, Porjesz B. The collaborative study on the genetics of alcoholism: Brain function. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 22:e12862. [PMID: 37587903 PMCID: PMC10550791 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and related health conditions result from a complex interaction of genetic, neural and environmental factors, with differential impacts across the lifespan. From its inception, the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) has focused on the importance of brain function as it relates to the risk and consequences of alcohol use and AUD, through the examination of noninvasively recorded brain electrical activity and neuropsychological tests. COGA's sophisticated neurophysiological and neuropsychological measures, together with rich longitudinal, multi-modal family data, have allowed us to disentangle brain-related risk and resilience factors from the consequences of prolonged and heavy alcohol use in the context of genomic and social-environmental influences over the lifespan. COGA has led the field in identifying genetic variation associated with brain functioning, which has advanced the understanding of how genomic risk affects AUD and related disorders. To date, the COGA study has amassed brain function data on over 9871 participants, 7837 with data at more than one time point, and with notable diversity in terms of age (from 7 to 97), gender (52% female), and self-reported race and ethnicity (28% Black, 9% Hispanic). These data are available to the research community through several mechanisms, including directly through the NIAAA, through dbGAP, and in collaboration with COGA investigators. In this review, we provide an overview of COGA's data collection methods and specific brain function measures assessed, and showcase the utility, significance, and contributions these data have made to our understanding of AUD and related disorders, highlighting COGA research findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacquelyn L. Meyers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Downstate Medical CenterBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | - Sarah J. Brislin
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolRutgers UniversityNew BrunswickNew JerseyUSA
| | - Chella Kamarajan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Downstate Medical CenterBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | | | - David Chorlian
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Downstate Medical CenterBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | - Andrey Anohkin
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Samuel Kuperman
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of IowaIowa CityIndianaUSA
| | - Alison Merikangas
- Department of Biomedical and Health InformaticsChildren's Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Penn‐CHOP Lifespan Brain InstituteUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Gayathri Pandey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Downstate Medical CenterBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | - Sivan Kinreich
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Downstate Medical CenterBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | - Ashwini Pandey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Downstate Medical CenterBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | - Howard J. Edenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyIndiana UniversityBloomingtonIndianaUSA
| | - Kathleen K. Bucholz
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | | | - Laura Almasy
- Department of Biomedical and Health InformaticsChildren's Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Penn‐CHOP Lifespan Brain InstituteUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Bernice Porjesz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Downstate Medical CenterBrooklynNew YorkUSA
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Baranger DAA, Paul SE, Hatoum AS, Bogdan R. Alcohol use and grey matter structure: Disentangling predispositional and causal contributions in human studies. Addict Biol 2023; 28:e13327. [PMID: 37644894 PMCID: PMC10502907 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use is a growing global health concern and economic burden. Alcohol involvement (i.e., initiation, use, problematic use, alcohol use disorder) has been reliably associated with broad spectrum grey matter differences in cross-sectional studies. These findings have been largely interpreted as reflecting alcohol-induced atrophy. However, emerging data suggest that brain structure differences also represent pre-existing vulnerability factors for alcohol involvement. Here, we review evidence from human studies with designs (i.e., family-based, genomic, longitudinal) that allow them to assess the plausibility that these correlates reflect predispositional risk factors and/or causal consequences of alcohol involvement. These studies provide convergent evidence that grey matter correlates of alcohol involvement largely reflect predisposing risk factors, with some evidence for potential alcohol-induced atrophy. These conclusions highlight the importance of study designs that can provide causal clues to cross-sectional observations. An integrative model may best account for these data, in which predisposition to alcohol use affects brain development, effects which may then be compounded by the neurotoxic consequences of heavy alcohol use.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A A Baranger
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University St. Louis Medical School, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Sarah E Paul
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Alexander S Hatoum
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things in Medicine Institute, Washington University St. Louis Medical School, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Ryan Bogdan
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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4
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Maggioni E, Rossetti MG, Allen NB, Batalla A, Bellani M, Chye Y, Cousijn J, Goudriaan AE, Hester R, Hutchison K, Li CSR, Martin-Santos R, Momenan R, Sinha R, Schmaal L, Solowij N, Suo C, van Holst RJ, Veltman DJ, Yücel M, Thompson PM, Conrod P, Mackey S, Garavan H, Brambilla P, Lorenzetti V. Brain volumes in alcohol use disorder: Do females and males differ? A whole-brain magnetic resonance imaging mega-analysis. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:4652-4666. [PMID: 37436103 PMCID: PMC10400785 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests distinct neurobiological correlates of alcohol use disorder (AUD) between sexes, which however remain largely unexplored. This work from ENIGMA Addiction Working Group aimed to characterize the sex differences in gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) correlates of AUD using a whole-brain, voxel-based, multi-tissue mega-analytic approach, thereby extending our recent surface-based region of interest findings on a nearly matching sample using a complementary methodological approach. T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from 653 people with AUD and 326 controls was analyzed using voxel-based morphometry. The effects of group, sex, group-by-sex, and substance use severity in AUD on brain volumes were assessed using General Linear Models. Individuals with AUD relative to controls had lower GM volume in striatal, thalamic, cerebellar, and widespread cortical clusters. Group-by-sex effects were found in cerebellar GM and WM volumes, which were more affected by AUD in females than males. Smaller group-by-sex effects were also found in frontotemporal WM tracts, which were more affected in AUD females, and in temporo-occipital and midcingulate GM volumes, which were more affected in AUD males. AUD females but not males showed a negative association between monthly drinks and precentral GM volume. Our results suggest that AUD is associated with both shared and distinct widespread effects on GM and WM volumes in females and males. This evidence advances our previous region of interest knowledge, supporting the usefulness of adopting an exploratory perspective and the need to include sex as a relevant moderator variable in AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Maggioni
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria G Rossetti
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca'Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Nicholas B Allen
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
| | - Albert Batalla
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marcella Bellani
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Yann Chye
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Melbourne, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Janna Cousijn
- Neuroscience of Addiction Lab, Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anna E Goudriaan
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Robert Hester
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kent Hutchison
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Chiang-Shan R Li
- Department of Psychiatry and of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Rocio Martin-Santos
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM and Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Reza Momenan
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Rajita Sinha
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Lianne Schmaal
- Orygen, Parkville, Australia
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nadia Solowij
- School of Psychology and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Chao Suo
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Australian Characterisation Commons at Scale (ACCS) Project, Monash eResearch Centre, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ruth J van Holst
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dick J Veltman
- Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Murat Yücel
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Melbourne, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Patricia Conrod
- Department of Psychiatry, Universite de Montreal, CHU Ste Justine Hospital, Montreal, Canada
| | - Scott Mackey
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - Hugh Garavan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca'Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Lorenzetti
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioral and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
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5
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Acheson A, Vincent AS, Cohoon AJ, Lovallo WR. Early life adversity and increased antisocial and depressive tendencies in young adults with family histories of alcohol and other substance use disorders: Findings from the Family Health Patterns project. Addict Behav Rep 2021; 15:100401. [PMID: 35434243 PMCID: PMC9006666 DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2021.100401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Family histories of alcohol/drug use disorders are linked to risk-related traits. Early life adversity was linked to additive increases in antisocial tendencies. Similar results were seen for depressive tendencies. Early life adversity may strongly contribute to family history associated risk.
Background Individuals with a family history of alcohol and other substance use disorders (FH+) are several times more likely to develop alcohol problems compared to individuals with no such family histories (FH–). Here we sought to evaluate associations of early life adversity (ELA) with two key risk-related FH+ phenotypic characteristics: increased antisocial and depressive tendencies. Methods We examined data from 1187 FH+ and FH– young adults (average age 23.6 years old) with and without personal histories of substance use disorders. Antisocial tendencies were evaluated with the Socialization scale of the California Personality Inventory (CPI-So), while depressive tendencies were evaluated with the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI). Results In general, being FH+, having a personal substance use disorder history, and experiencing greater levels of ELA were associated with lower CPI-So scores (indicating more antisocial tendencies) and higher BDI scores (indicating more depressive tendencies). Conclusions These results suggest that ELA is linked to increased antisocial and depressive tendencies observed in FH+ persons. Given that FH+ individuals are disproportionately exposed to ELA, this increased exposure may be a major contributor to these and other risk-related characteristics commonly present in FH+ individuals. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the impact of ELA on risk-related phenotypic characteristics, including prospective studies in early childhood and mechanistic studies evaluating pathways by which ELA exerts its effects on FH phenotypic characteristics.
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6
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Rodriguez-Moreno DV, Cycowicz YM, Figner B, Wang Z, He X, Geronazzo-Alman L, Sun X, Cheslack-Postava K, Bisaga A, Hoven CW, Amsel LV. Delay discounting and neurocognitive correlates among inner city adolescents with and without family history of substance use disorder. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 48:100942. [PMID: 33751954 PMCID: PMC8010627 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescents with a family history (FH+) of substance use disorder (SUD) are at a greater risk for SUD, suggested to be partly due to the transmission of behavioral impulsivity. We used a delay discounting task to compare impulsivity in decision-making and its associated brain functioning among FH+ and FH - minority adolescents. Participants chose between Smaller Sooner (SS) and Larger Later (LL) rewards. The SS was available immediately (Now trials) or in the future (Not-Now trials), allowing for greater differentiation between impulsive decisions. The FH+ group showed greater impatience by responding SS more frequently than the FH - group, only on the Now trials, and even when the relative reward differences (RRD) increased. Surprisingly, there were no differences in brain activity between the groups. Combined, the groups showed greater reward activity during the Now vs. Not-Now trials in medial prefrontal/anterior cingulate, posterior cingulate, precuneus, and inferior frontal gyrus (i.e., an immediacy effect). As the RRD increased activation in the reward network decreased, including the striatum, possibly reflecting easy decision-making. These results indicate that risk for SUD, seen behaviorally among FH+ adolescents, may not yet be associated with discernable brain changes, suggesting that early intervention has the potential to reduce this risk.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yael M Cycowicz
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Bernd Figner
- Behavioural Science Institute and Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Zhishun Wang
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Xiaofu He
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Lupo Geronazzo-Alman
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Xiaoxiao Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; Department of Bioengineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Keely Cheslack-Postava
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Adam Bisaga
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Christina W Hoven
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Lawrence V Amsel
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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7
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Rossetti MG, Patalay P, Mackey S, Allen NB, Batalla A, Bellani M, Chye Y, Cousijn J, Goudriaan AE, Hester R, Hutchison K, Li CSR, Martin-Santos R, Momenan R, Sinha R, Schmaal L, Sjoerds Z, Solowij N, Suo C, van Holst RJ, Veltman DJ, Yücel M, Thompson PM, Conrod P, Garavan H, Brambilla P, Lorenzetti V. Gender-related neuroanatomical differences in alcohol dependence: findings from the ENIGMA Addiction Working Group. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2021; 30:102636. [PMID: 33857771 PMCID: PMC8065340 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
We tested gender differences in brain volumes of alcohol dependent vs control groups. Group differences in brain volumes emerged as gross and widespread. Group-by-gender effects emerged in selected brain regions (cerebellum, amygdala) In dependent users, greater alcohol use predicted smaller amygdala and larger cerebellum GM volume. Our results highlight the need to account for gender differences in MRI studies of alcohol dependence.
Gender-related differences in the susceptibility, progression and clinical outcomes of alcohol dependence are well-known. However, the neurobiological substrates underlying such differences remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate gender differences in the neuroanatomy (i.e. regional brain volumes) of alcohol dependence. We examined the volume of a priori regions of interest (i.e., orbitofrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, nucleus accumbens, caudate, putamen, pallidum, thalamus, corpus callosum, cerebellum) and global brain measures (i.e., total grey matter (GM), total white matter (WM) and cerebrospinal fluid). Volumes were compared between 660 people with alcohol dependence (228 women) and 326 controls (99 women) recruited from the ENIGMA Addiction Working Group, accounting for intracranial volume, age and education years. Compared to controls, individuals with alcohol dependence on average had (3–9%) smaller volumes of the hippocampus (bilateral), putamen (left), pallidum (left), thalamus (right), corpus callosum, total GM and WM, and cerebellar GM (bilateral), the latter more prominently in women (right). Alcohol-dependent men showed smaller amygdala volume than control men, but this effect was unclear among women. In people with alcohol dependence, more monthly standard drinks predicted smaller amygdala and larger cerebellum GM volumes. The neuroanatomical differences associated with alcohol dependence emerged as gross and widespread, while those associated with a specific gender may be confined to selected brain regions. These findings warrant future neuroscience research to account for gender differences in alcohol dependence to further understand the neurobiological effects of alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gloria Rossetti
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca'Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Praveetha Patalay
- Centre for Longitudinal Studies and MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing, IOE and Population Health Sciences, UCL, United Kingdom
| | - Scott Mackey
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Nicholas B Allen
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Albert Batalla
- Department of Psychiatry, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marcella Bellani
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Yann Chye
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, & Monash Biomedical Imaging Facility, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Janna Cousijn
- Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anna E Goudriaan
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Neuroscience Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Robert Hester
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kent Hutchison
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Chiang-Shan R Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Rocio Martin-Santos
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM and Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Reza Momenan
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Rajita Sinha
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Lianne Schmaal
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, Australia; Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Zsuzsika Sjoerds
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Institute of Psychology & Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Nadia Solowij
- School of Psychology and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Chao Suo
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, & Monash Biomedical Imaging Facility, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ruth J van Holst
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Neuroscience Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dick J Veltman
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Murat Yücel
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, & Monash Biomedical Imaging Facility, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Patricia Conrod
- Department of Psychiatry, Universite de Montreal, CHU Ste Justine Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Hugh Garavan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca'Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Lorenzetti
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural & Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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8
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Filippi I, Hoertel N, Artiges E, Airagnes G, Guérin-Langlois C, Seigneurie AS, Frère P, Dubol M, Guillon F, Lemaître H, Rahim M, Martinot JL, Limosin F. Family history of alcohol use disorder is associated with brain
structural and functional changes in healthy first-degree relatives. Eur Psychiatry 2020; 62:107-115. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2019.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background:
Neuroimaging studies of vulnerability to Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
have identified structural and functional variations which might reflect
inheritable features in alcohol-naïve relatives of AUD individuals (FH+)
compared to controls having no such family history (FH-). However, prior
research did not simultaneously account for childhood maltreatment, any
clinically significant disorder and maternal AUD. Therefore, we mainly
aimed to investigate the brain structure and reward-related neural
activations (fMRI), using whole-brain analysis in FH+ young adults with
no prevalent confounders.
Methods:
46 FH+ and 45 FH- male and female participants had no severe
childhood maltreatment exposure, neither any psychiatric disorder or
AUD, nor a prenatal exposure to maternal AUD. We used a 3 T MRI coupled
with a whole brain voxel-based method to compare between groups the grey
matter volumes and activations in response to big
versus small wins during a Monetary
Incentive Delay task. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire score was used
as confounding variable in the analyses to account for the remaining
variance between groups.
Results:
Compared to FH- controls, FH+ participants had smaller grey matter
volumes in the frontal and cingulate regions as well as in the bilateral
nucleus accumbens and right insula. The FH+ participants’ fMRI datasets
denoted a blunted activation in the middle cingulum with respect to FH-
controls’ during the processing of reward magnitude, and a greater
activation in the anterior cingulum in response to anticipation of a
small win.
Conclusions:
Family history of alcohol use disorder is linked to structural and
functional variations including brain regions involved in reward
processes.
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9
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Miquel M, Nicola SM, Gil-Miravet I, Guarque-Chabrera J, Sanchez-Hernandez A. A Working Hypothesis for the Role of the Cerebellum in Impulsivity and Compulsivity. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:99. [PMID: 31133834 PMCID: PMC6513968 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence associates cerebellar abnormalities with several neuropsychiatric disorders in which compulsive symptomatology and impulsivity are part of the disease pattern. Symptomatology of autism, addiction, obsessive-compulsive (OCD), and attention deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) disorders transcends the sphere of motor dysfunction and essentially entails integrative processes under control of prefrontal-thalamic-cerebellar loops. Patients with brain lesions affecting the cortico-striatum thalamic circuitry and the cerebellum indeed exhibit compulsive symptoms. Specifically, lesions of the posterior cerebellar vermis cause affective dysregulation and deficits in executive function. These deficits may be due to impairment of one of the main functions of the cerebellum, implementation of forward internal models of the environment. Actions that are independent of internal models may not be guided by predictive relationships or a mental representation of the goal. In this review article, we explain how this deficit might affect executive functions. Additionally, regionalized cerebellar lesions have been demonstrated to impair other brain functions such as the emergence of habits and behavioral inhibition, which are also altered in compulsive disorders. Similar to the infralimbic cortex, clinical studies and research in animal models suggest that the cerebellum is not required for learning goal-directed behaviors, but it is critical for habit formation. Despite this accumulating data, the role of the cerebellum in compulsive symptomatology and impulsivity is still a matter of discussion. Overall, findings point to a modulatory function of the cerebellum in terminating or initiating actions through regulation of the prefrontal cortices. Specifically, the cerebellum may be crucial for restraining ongoing actions when environmental conditions change by adjusting prefrontal activity in response to the new external and internal stimuli, thereby promoting flexible behavioral control. We elaborate on this explanatory framework and propose a working hypothesis for the involvement of the cerebellum in compulsive and impulsive endophenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Miquel
- Área de Psicobiología, School of Health Science, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - Saleem M Nicola
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Isis Gil-Miravet
- Área de Psicobiología, School of Health Science, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - Julian Guarque-Chabrera
- Área de Psicobiología, School of Health Science, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - Aitor Sanchez-Hernandez
- Área de Psicobiología, School of Health Science, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
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10
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Comstock SM, Vaidya JG, Niciu MJ. Neurophysiological Correlates and Differential Drug Response in Subjects With a Family History of an Alcohol Use Disorder. CHRONIC STRESS (THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF.) 2019; 3:2470547019865267. [PMID: 31511840 PMCID: PMC6738944 DOI: 10.1177/2470547019865267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A family history of an alcohol use disorder (AUD) has been shown to increase one's risk of developing an AUD. Additionally, a positive family history of AUD (family history positive (FHP)) has neurobiological and neuropsychopharmacological consequences, and this review summarizes differential drug response as well as neuroanatomical and neurocognitive correlates. FHP status is related to altered responses to a number of drugs, including substances with abuse liability like alcohol, opioids, amphetamines, and ketamine. FHP individuals demonstrate fewer aversive effects and more rewarding response to both alcohol and subanesthetic dose ketamine. Ketamine is a rapid-acting antidepressant, and several studies have reported that ketamine is more effective for FHP treatment-resistant depressed individuals. In short, the reviewed neurophysiological differences may contribute to ketamine's enhanced antidepressant efficacy in FHP patients. Volumetric differences in the amygdala, nucleus accumbens, neocortex, and cerebellum are commonly reported. Furthermore, FHP has also been associated with altered neurocognitive performance, e.g., increased impulsivity. The imaging and psychological literature supports a neurodevelopmental lag hypothesis in FHP youth. The review will further discuss these findings in depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sage M. Comstock
- Department of Psychiatry, Iowa
Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jatin G. Vaidya
- Department of Psychiatry, Iowa
Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Mark J. Niciu
- Department of Psychiatry, Iowa
Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USA
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11
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McPhee MD, Claus ED, Boileau I, Lee ACH, Graff-Guerrero A, Hendershot CS. Does Family History of Alcohol Use Disorder Relate to Differences in Regional Brain Volumes? A Descriptive Review with New Data. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018; 42:2369-2384. [PMID: 30204241 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Differences in regional brain volumes as a function of family history (FH) of alcohol use disorder (AUD) have been reported, and it has been suggested that these differences might index genetic risk for AUD. However, results have been inconsistent. The aims of the current study were (i) to provide an updated descriptive review of the existing literature and (ii) to examine the association of FH with indices of subcortical volumes and cortical thickness in a sample of youth recruited based on FH status. METHODS To address aim 1, a literature search located 15 published studies comprising 1,735 participants. Studies were characterized according to population, analytic methods, regions of interest, and primary findings. To address the second aim, we examined volumetric and cortical thickness in a sample of 69 youth (mean age = 19.71 years, SD = 0.79) recruited based on FH status and matched on drinking variables. Associations of sex and alcohol use with volumetric outcomes were also examined. RESULTS Our descriptive review revealed an inconsistent pattern of results with respect to the presence, direction, and regional specificity of volumetric differences across FH groups. The most consistent finding, significantly smaller amygdala volumes in FH+ participants, was not replicated in all studies. In the current sample of youth, measures of subcortical volumes and cortical thickness did not significantly differ as a function of FH, sex, or their interaction. CONCLUSIONS Evidence for FH group differences in regional brain volumes is inconsistent, and the current study failed to detect any group differences. Further research is needed to confirm the reproducibility of FH group differences and implications for AUD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D McPhee
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Eric D Claus
- Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Isabelle Boileau
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Andy C H Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Toronto, Canada
| | - Ariel Graff-Guerrero
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.,Multimodal Imaging Group, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.,Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Christian S Hendershot
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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12
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Almli LM, Lori A, Meyers JL, Shin J, Fani N, Maihofer AX, Nievergelt CM, Smith AK, Mercer KB, Kerley K, Leveille JM, Feng H, Abu‐Amara D, Flory JD, Yehuda R, Marmar CR, Baker DG, Bradley B, Koenen KC, Conneely KN, Ressler KJ. Problematic alcohol use associates with sodium channel and clathrin linker 1 (SCLT1) in trauma-exposed populations. Addict Biol 2018; 23:1145-1159. [PMID: 29082582 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2016] [Revised: 08/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Excessive alcohol use is extremely prevalent in the United States, particularly among trauma-exposed individuals. While several studies have examined genetic influences on alcohol use and related problems, this has not been studied in the context of trauma-exposed populations. We report results from a genome-wide association study of alcohol consumption and associated problems as measured by the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) in a trauma-exposed cohort. Results indicate a genome-wide significant association between total AUDIT score and rs1433375 [N = 1036, P = 2.61 × 10-8 (dominant model), P = 7.76 × 10-8 (additive model)], an intergenic single-nucleotide polymorphism located 323 kb upstream of the sodium channel and clathrin linker 1 (SCLT1) at 4q28. rs1433375 was also significant in a meta-analysis of two similar, but independent, cohorts (N = 1394, P = 0.0004), the Marine Resiliency Study and Systems Biology PTSD Biomarkers Consortium. Functional analysis indicated that rs1433375 was associated with SCLT1 gene expression and cortical-cerebellar functional connectivity measured via resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Together, findings suggest a role for sodium channel regulation and cerebellar functioning in alcohol use behavior. Identifying mechanisms underlying risk for problematic alcohol use in trauma-exposed populations is critical for future treatment and prevention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn M. Almli
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Emory University Atlanta GA USA
| | - Adriana Lori
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Emory University Atlanta GA USA
| | - Jacquelyn L. Meyers
- Department of Psychiatry State University of New York Downstate Medical Center Brooklyn NY USA
| | - Jaemin Shin
- Center for Advanced Brain Imaging Georgia State University/Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta GA USA
| | - Negar Fani
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Emory University Atlanta GA USA
| | - Adam X. Maihofer
- Department of Psychiatry University of California San Diego San Diego CA USA
- Veterans Affairs Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health San Diego USA
| | - Caroline M. Nievergelt
- Department of Psychiatry University of California San Diego San Diego CA USA
- Veterans Affairs Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health San Diego USA
| | - Alicia K. Smith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Emory University Atlanta GA USA
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Emory University Atlanta GA USA
| | | | - Kimberly Kerley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Emory University Atlanta GA USA
| | - Jennifer M. Leveille
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Emory University Atlanta GA USA
| | - Hao Feng
- Department of Human Genetics Emory University Atlanta GA USA
| | - Duna Abu‐Amara
- Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for Posttraumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury Department of Psychiatry, New York University New York NY USA
| | - Janine D. Flory
- Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for Posttraumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury Department of Psychiatry, New York University New York NY USA
- Department of Psychiatry MSSM/James J. Peters Veterans Administration Medical Center New York NY USA
| | - Rachel Yehuda
- Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for Posttraumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury Department of Psychiatry, New York University New York NY USA
- Department of Psychiatry MSSM/James J. Peters Veterans Administration Medical Center New York NY USA
| | - Charles R. Marmar
- Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for Posttraumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury Department of Psychiatry, New York University New York NY USA
| | - Dewleen G. Baker
- Department of Psychiatry University of California San Diego San Diego CA USA
- Veterans Affairs Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health San Diego USA
- Psychiatry Services VA San Diego Healthcare System San Diego CA USA
| | - Bekh Bradley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Emory University Atlanta GA USA
- Mental Health Service Line Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center Atlanta GA USA
| | - Karestan C. Koenen
- Department of Epidemiology Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health Boston MA USA
| | | | - Kerry J. Ressler
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Emory University Atlanta GA USA
- McLean Hospital Harvard Medical School Belmont MA USA
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13
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Hill SY. Familial Risk for Alcohol Dependence and Brain Morphology: The Role of Cortical Thickness Across the Lifespan. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018. [PMID: 29532487 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Y Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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14
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The Cerebellar GABA AR System as a Potential Target for Treating Alcohol Use Disorder. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2018; 248:113-156. [PMID: 29736774 DOI: 10.1007/164_2018_109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In the brain, fast inhibitory neurotransmission is mediated primarily by the ionotropic subtype of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor subtype A (GABAAR). It is well established that the brain's GABAAR system mediates many aspects of neurobehavioral responses to alcohol (ethanol; EtOH). Accordingly, in both preclinical studies and some clinical scenarios, pharmacologically targeting the GABAAR system can alter neurobehavioral responses to acute and chronic EtOH consumption. However, many of the well-established interactions of EtOH and the GABAAR system have been identified at concentrations of EtOH ([EtOH]) that would only occur during abusive consumption of EtOH (≥40 mM), and there are still inadequate treatment options for prevention of or recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD, including abuse and dependence). Accordingly, there is a general acknowledgement that more research is needed to identify and characterize: (1) neurobehavioral targets of lower [EtOH] and (2) associated brain structures that would involve such targets in a manner that may influence the development and maintenance of AUDs.Nearly 15 years ago it was discovered that the GABAAR system of the cerebellum is highly sensitive to EtOH, responding to concentrations as low as 10 mM (as would occur in the blood of a typical adult human after consuming 1-2 standard units of EtOH). This high sensitivity to EtOH, which likely mediates the well-known motor impairing effects of EtOH, combined with recent advances in our understanding of the role of the cerebellum in non-motor, cognitive/emotive/reward processes has renewed interest in this system in the specific context of AUD. In this chapter we will describe recent advances in our understanding of cerebellar processing, actions of EtOH on the cerebellar GABAAR system, and the potential relationship of such actions to the development of AUD. We will finish with speculation about how cerebellar specific GABAAR ligands might be effective pharmacological agents for treating aspects of AUD.
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15
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Hill SY, Lichenstein SD, Wang S, O'Brien J. Volumetric Differences in Cerebellar Lobes in Individuals from Multiplex Alcohol Dependence Families and Controls: Their Relationship to Externalizing and Internalizing Disorders and Working Memory. THE CEREBELLUM 2017; 15:744-754. [PMID: 26589810 PMCID: PMC5097111 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-015-0747-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Offspring from families with multiple cases of alcohol dependence have a greater likelihood of developing alcohol dependence and related substance use disorders. Greater susceptibility for these disorders may be related to cerebellar morphology. Because posterior regions of the cerebellum are associated with cognitive abilities, we investigated whether high-risk offspring would display regionally specific differences in cerebellar morphology and whether these would be related to working memory performance. The relationship to externalizing and internalizing psychopathology was of interest because cerebellar morphology has previously been associated with a cognitive affective syndrome. A total of 131 participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with volumes of the cerebellar lobes obtained with manual tracing. These individuals were from high-risk (HR) for alcohol dependence families (N = 72) or from low-risk (LR) control families (N = 59). All were enrolled in a longitudinal follow-up that included repeated clinical assessments during childhood and young-adulthood prior to the scan that provided information on Axis I psychopathology. The Working Memory Index of the Wechsler Memory Scale was given at the time of the scan. Larger volumes of the corpus medullare and inferior posterior lobes and poorer working memory performance were found for the HR offspring relative to LR controls. Across all subjects, a significant positive association between working memory and total volume of corpus of the cerebellum was seen, controlling for familial risk. Presence of an internalizing or externalizing disorder interacting with familial risk was also associated with volume of the corpus medullare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Y Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O' Hara St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA. .,Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | | | - Shuhui Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O' Hara St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Jessica O'Brien
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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16
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Genetic variation within GRIN2B in adolescents with alcohol use disorder may be associated with larger left posterior cingulate cortex volume. Acta Neuropsychiatr 2017; 29:252-258. [PMID: 27498914 PMCID: PMC5478461 DOI: 10.1017/neu.2016.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Brain structure differences and adolescent alcohol dependence both show substantial heritability. However, exactly which genes are responsible for brain volume variation in adolescents with substance abuse disorders are currently unknown. The aim of this investigation was to determine whether genetic variants previously implicated in psychiatric disorders are associated with variation in brain volume in adolescents with alcohol use disorder (AUD). METHODS The cohort consisted of 58 adolescents with DSM-IV AUD and 58 age and gender-matched controls of mixed ancestry ethnicity. An Illumina Infinium iSelect custom 6000 bead chip was used to genotype 5348 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 378 candidate genes. Magnetic resonance images were acquired and volumes of global and regional structures were estimated using voxel-based morphometry. To determine whether any of the genetic variants were associated with brain volume, association analysis was conducted using linear regression in Plink. RESULTS From the exploratory analysis, the GRIN2B SNP rs219927 was associated with brain volume in the left posterior cingulate cortex (p<0.05), whereby having a G-allele was associated with a bigger volume. CONCLUSION The GRIN2B gene is involved in glutamatergic signalling and may be associated with developmental differences in AUD in brain regions such as the posterior cingulate cortex. Such differences may play a role in risk for AUD, and deserve more detailed investigation.
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17
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Holla B, Panda R, Venkatasubramanian G, Biswal B, Bharath RD, Benegal V. Disrupted resting brain graph measures in individuals at high risk for alcoholism. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2017; 265:54-64. [PMID: 28531764 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2017.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Familial susceptibility to alcoholism is likely to be linked to the externalizing diathesis seen in high-risk offspring from high-density alcohol use disorder (AUD) families. The present study aimed at comparing resting brain functional connectivity and their association with externalizing symptoms and alcoholism familial density in 40 substance-naive high-risk (HR) male offspring from high-density AUD families and 30 matched healthy low-risk (LR) males without a family history of substance dependence using graph theory-based network analysis. The HR subjects from high-density AUD families compared with LR, showed significantly reduced clustering, small-worldness, and local network efficiency. The frontoparietal, cingulo-opercular, sensorimotor and cerebellar networks exhibited significantly reduced functional segregation. These disruptions exhibited independent incremental value in predicting the externalizing symptoms over and above the demographic variables. The reduction of functional segregation in HR subjects was significant across both the younger and older age groups and was proportional to the family loading of AUDs. Detection and estimation of these developmentally relevant disruptions in small-world architecture at critical brain regions sub-serving cognitive, affective, and sensorimotor processes are vital for understanding the familial risk for early onset alcoholism as well as for understanding the pathophysiological mechanism of externalizing behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharath Holla
- Centre for Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Hosur Road, Bangalore, India.
| | - Rajanikant Panda
- Cognitive Neuroscience Centre and Department of Neuroimaging and Interventional Radiology (NIIR), NIMHANS, Hosur Road, Bangalore, India
| | | | - Bharat Biswal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), University Heights, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Rose Dawn Bharath
- Cognitive Neuroscience Centre and Department of Neuroimaging and Interventional Radiology (NIIR), NIMHANS, Hosur Road, Bangalore, India.
| | - Vivek Benegal
- Centre for Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Hosur Road, Bangalore, India.
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18
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Sharma VK, Hill SY. Differentiating the Effects of Familial Risk for Alcohol Dependence and Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol on Offspring Brain Morphology. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2017; 41:312-322. [PMID: 28084631 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Offspring with a family history of alcohol dependence (AD) have been shown to have altered structural and functional integrity of corticolimbic brain structures. Similarly, prenatal exposure to alcohol is associated with a variety of structural and functional brain changes. The goal of this study was to differentiate the brain gray matter volumetric differences associated with familial risk and prenatal exposure to alcohol among offspring while controlling for lifetime personal exposures to alcohol and drugs. METHODS A total of 52 high-risk (HR) offspring from maternal multiplex families with a high proportion of AD were studied along with 55 low-risk (LR) offspring. Voxel-based morphometric analysis was performed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM8) software using 3T structural images from these offspring to identify gray matter volume differences associated with familial risk and prenatal exposure. RESULTS Significant familial risk group differences were seen with HR males showing reduced volume of the left inferior temporal, left fusiform, and left and right insula regions relative to LR males, controlling for prenatal exposure to alcohol drugs and cigarettes. HR females showed a reduction in the right fusiform but also showed a reduction in volume in portions of the cerebellum (left crus I and left lobe 8). Prenatal alcohol exposure effects, assessed within the familial HR group, was associated with reduced right middle cingulum and left middle temporal volume. Even low exposure resulting from mothers drinking in amounts less than the median of those who drank (53 drinks or less over the course of the pregnancy) showed a reduction in volume in the right anterior cingulum and in the left cerebellum (lobes 4 and 5). CONCLUSIONS Familial risk for AD and prenatal exposure to alcohol and other drugs show independent effects on brain morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinod K Sharma
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Shirley Y Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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19
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Sharma S, Graham R, Rohde R, Ceballos NA. Stress-induced change in serum BDNF is related to quantitative family history of alcohol use disorder and age at first alcohol use. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2016; 153:12-17. [PMID: 27939343 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2016.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Revised: 10/16/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Previous research in animal models suggests that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in stress-modulated alcohol consumption. However, relatively few studies have investigated this issue in humans, and results of existing studies have been heterogeneous. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the within-subjects effect of acute stress (timed math plus cold pressor) on serum BDNF levels (ΔBDNF: post- minus pre-stress) in healthy social drinkers (N=68, 20 male). A secondary aim was to explore which heritable and environmental factors in our limited sample might exert the greatest influences on ΔBDNF. Importantly, presence versus absence of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265), which has often been discounted in studies of human serum BDNF, was included as a between-subjects control variable in all statistical analyses. Our results indicated that acute stress decreased serum BDNF. Further, multiple regression analyses revealed that quantitative family history of alcohol use disorder (qFH) and age at first alcohol use together accounted for 15% of the variance in ΔBDNF. Thus, the influences of qFH and age at first alcohol use may explain some of the heterogeneity that exists in previous studies of human serum BDNF. These results parallel findings in animal models and suggest that stress-related changes in serum BDNF are influenced by both heritable (qFH) and environmental (early alcohol consumption) factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shobhit Sharma
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
| | - Reiko Graham
- Department of Psychology, Texas State University, San Marcos 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
| | - Rodney Rohde
- Clinical Laboratory Science, Texas State University, San Marcos 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
| | - Natalie A Ceballos
- Department of Psychology, Texas State University, San Marcos 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA.
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20
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Neurobiological phenotypes associated with a family history of alcoholism. Drug Alcohol Depend 2016; 158:8-21. [PMID: 26559000 PMCID: PMC4698007 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Revised: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 10/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with a family history of alcoholism are at much greater risk for developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD) than youth or adults without such history. A large body of research suggests that there are premorbid differences in brain structure and function in family history positive (FHP) individuals relative to their family history negative (FHN) peers. METHODS This review summarizes the existing literature on neurobiological phenotypes present in FHP youth and adults by describing findings across neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies. RESULTS Neuroimaging studies have shown FHP individuals differ from their FHN peers in amygdalar, hippocampal, basal ganglia, and cerebellar volume. Both increased and decreased white matter integrity has been reported in FHP individuals compared with FHN controls. Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have found altered inhibitory control and working memory-related brain response in FHP youth and adults, suggesting neural markers of executive functioning may be related to increased vulnerability for developing AUDs in this population. Additionally, brain activity differences in regions involved in bottom-up reward and emotional processing, such as the nucleus accumbens and amygdala, have been shown in FHP individuals relative to their FHN peers. CONCLUSIONS It is critical to understand premorbid neural characteristics that could be associated with cognitive, reward-related, or emotional risk factors that increase risk for AUDs in FHP individuals. This information may lead to the development of neurobiologically informed prevention and intervention studies focused on reducing the incidence of AUDs in high-risk youth and adults.
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21
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Ceballos N, Sharma S. Risk and Resilience: The Role of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor in Alcohol Use Disorder. AIMS Neurosci 2016. [DOI: 10.3934/neuroscience.2016.4.398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
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22
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Have we been ignoring the elephant in the room? Seven arguments for considering the cerebellum as part of addiction circuitry. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 60:1-11. [PMID: 26602022 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Revised: 11/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Addiction involves alterations in multiple brain regions that are associated with functions such as memory, motivation and executive control. Indeed, it is now well accepted that addictive drugs produce long-lasting molecular and structural plasticity changes in corticostriatal-limbic loops. However, there are brain regions that might be relevant to addiction other than the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus and basal ganglia. In addition to these circuits, a growing amount of data suggests the involvement of the cerebellum in many of the brain functions affected in addicts, though this region has been overlooked, traditionally, in the addiction field. Therefore, in the present review we provide seven arguments as to why we should consider the cerebellum in drug addiction. We present and discuss compelling evidence about the effects of drugs of abuse on cerebellar plasticity, the involvement of the cerebellum in drug-induced cue-related memories, and several findings showing that the instrumental memory and executive functions also recruit the cerebellar circuitry. In addition, a hypothetical model of the cerebellum's role relative to other areas within corticostriatal-limbic networks is also provided. Our goal is not to review animal and human studies exhaustively but to support the inclusion of cerebellar alterations as a part of the physiopathology of addiction disorder.
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Hill SY, O'Brien J. Psychological and Neurobiological Precursors of Alcohol Use Disorders in High Risk Youth. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2015; 2:104-113. [PMID: 26301172 DOI: 10.1007/s40429-015-0051-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
It has long been known that Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs) run in families with substantial heritability. Determining the specific genetic underpinnings of these disorders has been challenging because of the clinical heterogeneity and variable expression across the lifespan. The search for endophenotypic biological variation associated with the AUD and related substance use disorder (SUD) phenotypes is based on the belief that an endophenotype is more proximal to the causative gene. Identification of genes conferring increased susceptibility has important implications for treatment through the potential development of medications that target specific genetic pathways. High risk family designs that contrast offspring with and without a familial/genetic background have provided valuable insights into the psychological characteristics (executive control, affective regulation, decision making and social cognition) that differentiate such individuals. The current chapter will review these with a focus on brain morphology of specific regions, the coordinated activity of neural networks, and developmental trajectories of electrophysiological activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Y Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213 ; Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260 ; Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
| | - Jessica O'Brien
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260
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Cservenka A. Advances in Human Neuroconnectivity Research: Applications for Understanding Familial History Risk for Alcoholism. Alcohol Res 2015; 37:89-95. [PMID: 26259090 PMCID: PMC4476606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in brain imaging have allowed researchers to further study the networks connecting brain regions. Specifically, research examining the functioning of these networks in groups with a genetic predisposition for alcoholism has found atypical circuitry in the brains of such individuals. Further research with larger sample sizes and multimodal method integration are necessary to confirm these intriguing findings.
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Cservenka A, Gillespie AJ, Michael PG, Nagel BJ. Family history density of alcoholism relates to left nucleus accumbens volume in adolescent girls. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2015; 76:47-56. [PMID: 25486393 PMCID: PMC4263780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A family history of alcoholism is a significant risk factor for the development of alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Because common structural abnormalities are present in reward and affective brain regions in alcoholics and those with familial alcoholism, the current study examined the relationship between familial loading of AUDs and volumes of the amygdala and nucleus accumbens (NAcc) in largely alcohol-naive adolescents, ages 12-16 years (N = 140). METHOD The amygdala and NAcc were delineated on each participant's T1-weighted anatomical scan, using FMRIB Software Library's FMRIB Integrated Registration & Segmentation Tool, and visually inspected for accuracy and volume outliers. In the 140 participants with accurate segmentation (75 male/65 female), subcortical volumes were represented as a ratio to intracranial volume (ICV). A family history density (FHD) score was calculated for each adolescent based on the presence of AUDs in first- and second-degree relatives (range: 0.03-1.50; higher scores represent a greater prevalence of familial AUDs). Multiple regressions, with age and sex controlled for, examined the association between FHD and left and right amygdala and NAcc volume/ICV. RESULTS There was a significant positive relationship between FHD and left NAcc volume/ICV (ΔR² = .04, p = .02). Post hoc regressions indicated that this effect was only significant in females (ΔR² = .11, p = .006). CONCLUSIONS This finding suggests that the degree of familial alcoholism, genetic or otherwise, is associated with alterations in reward-related brain structure. Further work will be necessary to examine whether FHD is related to future alcohol-related problems and reward-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Cservenka
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Alicia J Gillespie
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Paul G Michael
- School of Professional Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, Oregon
| | - Bonnie J Nagel
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
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Hill SY, Wang S, Carter H, McDermott MD, Zezza N, Stiffler S. Amygdala Volume in Offspring from Multiplex for Alcohol Dependence Families: The Moderating Influence of Childhood Environment and 5-HTTLPR Variation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; Suppl 1. [PMID: 25285331 DOI: 10.4172/2329-6488.s1-001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The increased susceptibility for developing alcohol dependence seen in offspring from families with alcohol dependence may be related to structural and functional differences in brain circuits that influence emotional processing. Early childhood environment, genetic variation in the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) of the SLCA4 gene and allelic variation in the Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) gene have each been reported to be related to volumetric differences in the temporal lobe especially the amygdala. METHODS Magnetic resonance imaging was used to obtain amygdala volumes for 129 adolescent/young adult individuals who were either High-Risk (HR) offspring from families with multiple cases of alcohol dependence (N=71) or Low-Risk (LR) controls (N=58). Childhood family environment was measured prospectively using age-appropriate versions of the Family Environment Scale during a longitudinal follow-up study. The subjects were genotyped for Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Val66Met and the serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR). Two family environment scale scores (Cohesion and Conflict), genotypic variation, and their interaction were tested for their association with amygdala volumes. Personal and prenatal exposure to alcohol and drugs were considered in statistical analyses in order to more accurately determine the effects of familial risk group differences. RESULTS Amygdala volume was reduced in offspring from families with multiple alcohol dependent members in comparison to offspring from control families. High-Risk offspring who were carriers of the S variant of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism had reduced amygdala volume in comparison to those with an LL genotype. Larger amygdala volume was associated with greater family cohesion but only in Low-Risk control offspring. CONCLUSIONS Familial risk for alcohol dependence is an important predictor of amygdala volume even when removing cases with significant personal exposure and covarying for prenatal exposure effects. The present study provides new evidence that amygdala volume is modified by 5-HTTLPR variation in High-Risk families.
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Ewing SWF, Sakhardande A, Blakemore SJ. The effect of alcohol consumption on the adolescent brain: A systematic review of MRI and fMRI studies of alcohol-using youth. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2014; 5:420-37. [PMID: 26958467 PMCID: PMC4749850 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2014.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background A large proportion of adolescents drink alcohol, with many engaging in high-risk patterns of consumption, including binge drinking. Here, we systematically review and synthesize the existing empirical literature on how consuming alcohol affects the developing human brain in alcohol-using (AU) youth. Methods For this systematic review, we began by conducting a literature search using the PubMED database to identify all available peer-reviewed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of AU adolescents (aged 19 and under). All studies were screened against a strict set of criteria designed to constrain the impact of confounding factors, such as co-occurring psychiatric conditions. Results Twenty-one studies (10 MRI and 11 fMRI) met the criteria for inclusion. A synthesis of the MRI studies suggested that overall, AU youth showed regional differences in brain structure as compared with non-AU youth, with smaller grey matter volumes and lower white matter integrity in relevant brain areas. In terms of fMRI outcomes, despite equivalent task performance between AU and non-AU youth, AU youth showed a broad pattern of lower task-relevant activation, and greater task-irrelevant activation. In addition, a pattern of gender differences was observed for brain structure and function, with particularly striking effects among AU females. Conclusions Alcohol consumption during adolescence was associated with significant differences in structure and function in the developing human brain. However, this is a nascent field, with several limiting factors (including small sample sizes, cross-sectional designs, presence of confounding factors) within many of the reviewed studies, meaning that results should be interpreted in light of the preliminary state of the field. Future longitudinal and large-scale studies are critical to replicate the existing findings, and to provide a more comprehensive and conclusive picture of the effect of alcohol consumption on the developing brain. A large proportion of adolescents drink alcohol. Studies show how alcohol affects human adolescent brain development. This includes a systematic review of MRI and fMRI studies in alcohol-using youth. Changes in structure and function are observed in the brain in alcohol-using youth.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ashok Sakhardande
- UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, 17 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AR, UK
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Moulton EA, Elman I, Becerra LR, Goldstein RZ, Borsook D. The cerebellum and addiction: insights gained from neuroimaging research. Addict Biol 2014; 19:317-31. [PMID: 24851284 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Although cerebellar alterations have been consistently noted in the addiction literature, the pathophysiology of this link remains unclear. The cerebellum is commonly classified as a motor structure, but human functional neuroimaging along with clinical observations in cerebellar stroke patients and anatomical tract tracing in non-human primates suggests its involvement in cognitive and affective processing. A comprehensive literature search on the role of the cerebellum in addiction was performed. This review article (1) considers the potential role of the cerebellum in addiction; (2) summarizes the cerebellar structural alterations linked to addiction; (3) presents the functional neuroimaging evidence linking the cerebellum with addiction; and (4) proposes a model for addiction that underscores the role of the cerebellum. The data implicate the cerebellum as an intermediary between motor and reward, motivation and cognitive control systems, as all are relevant etiologic factors in addiction. Furthermore, consideration of these findings could contribute to deeper and more sophisticated insights into normal reward and motivational function. The goal of this review is to spread awareness of cerebellar involvement in addictive processes, and to suggest a preliminary model for its potential role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A. Moulton
- P.A.I.N. Group; Center for Pain and the Brain; Boston Children's Hospital; Massachusetts General Hospital, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School; Boston MA USA
| | - Igor Elman
- Providence Veterans Administration Medical Center; Providence RI USA
- Department of Psychiatry; Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School; Cambridge MA USA
| | - Lino R. Becerra
- P.A.I.N. Group; Center for Pain and the Brain; Boston Children's Hospital; Massachusetts General Hospital, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School; Boston MA USA
| | | | - David Borsook
- P.A.I.N. Group; Center for Pain and the Brain; Boston Children's Hospital; Massachusetts General Hospital, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School; Boston MA USA
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Weiland BJ, Korycinski ST, Soules M, Zubieta JK, Zucker RA, Heitzeg MM. Substance abuse risk in emerging adults associated with smaller frontal gray matter volumes and higher externalizing behaviors. Drug Alcohol Depend 2014; 137:68-75. [PMID: 24513182 PMCID: PMC4012417 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2013] [Revised: 01/08/2014] [Accepted: 01/10/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During emerging adulthood, alcohol and substance use peak. Previous research has suggested that prefrontal and subcortical brain volumes may relate to risk for development of substance abuse. Epidemiological studies indicate that early initiation of alcohol or drug use significantly increases the likelihood of later substance use disorder diagnoses. We hypothesized that frontal regions would be smaller in young adults with early substance use and related problems (early-risk, ER), compared with a control group without early use/problems (C). We further hypothesized that these volumes would be associated with more externalizing behaviors, an additional robust predictor of substance abuse. METHODS One hundred and six subjects, ages 18-23, underwent high-resolution anatomical magnetic resonance image scanning. Individuals were categorized as C (n=64) or ER (n=42) using a composite-score of early alcohol/drug use and problems based on prospectively collected assessments; externalizing behaviors were also previously assessed during adolescence. Neuroanatomical volumes were compared between groups and correlated with behavioral measures. RESULTS ER subjects exhibited more externalizing behaviors than their control counterparts. Total left frontal cortex and left superior frontal cortex volumes were significantly smaller in the ER group, controlling for family history of alcoholism and current substance use. Total gray matter volumes were negatively associated with substance risk score. Further, externalizing behavior score was negatively correlated with both left superior cortical and left total cortical volumes. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that smaller frontal cortical volumes, specifically the left superior frontal cortex, represent an underlying risk factor for substance abuse in emerging adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara J. Weiland
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States,Addiction Research Center, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States,Corresponding author at: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Campus Box 345, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, United States. Tel.: +1 303 492 9147; fax: +1 303 492 2967., (B.J. Weiland)
| | - Steven T. Korycinski
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States,Addiction Research Center, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Mary Soules
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States,Addiction Research Center, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Jon-Kar Zubieta
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States,Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Robert A. Zucker
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States,Addiction Research Center, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Mary M. Heitzeg
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States,Addiction Research Center, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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Resting state functional connectivity of the nucleus accumbens in youth with a family history of alcoholism. Psychiatry Res 2014; 221:210-9. [PMID: 24440571 PMCID: PMC3943736 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2013.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2013] [Revised: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 12/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Adolescents with a family history of alcoholism (FHP) are at heightened risk for developing alcohol use disorders (AUDs). The nucleus accumbens (NAcc), a key brain region for reward processing, is implicated in the development of AUDs. Thus, functional connectivity of the NAcc may be an important marker of risk in FHP youth. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fcMRI) was used to examine the intrinsic connectivity of the NAcc in 47 FHP and 50 family history negative (FHN) youth, ages 10-16 years old. FHP and FHN adolescents showed significant group differences in resting state synchrony between the left NAcc and bilateral inferior frontal gyri and the left postcentral gyrus (PG). Additionally, FHP youth differed from FHN youth in right NAcc functional connectivity with the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), left superior temporal gyrus, right cerebellum, left PG, and right occipital cortex. These results indicate that FHP youth have less segregation between the NAcc and executive functioning brain regions, and less integration with reward-related brain areas, such as the OFC. The findings of the current study highlight that premorbid atypical connectivity of appetitive systems, in the absence of heavy alcohol use, may be a risk marker in FHP adolescents.
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Popa-Wagner A, Furczyk K, Richter J, Irmisch G, Thome J. Neurotrophin levels at admission did not change significantly upon alcohol deprivation and were positively correlated with the BMI and LDL levels. J Mol Psychiatry 2013; 1:20. [PMID: 25408911 PMCID: PMC4223886 DOI: 10.1186/2049-9256-1-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2012] [Accepted: 11/05/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neurotrophins brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophic factor 3 (NT3) could play a role in addictive behavior. Interactions between BDNF and dopamine transmission influence the alcohol intake. It has been hypothesized that extensive alcohol consumption leads to diminished circulating BDNF levels and impaired BDNF-mediated protective mechanisms. What is more, alcohol dependency causes changes in lipid metabolism which in turn may influence the neurotrophin system. METHODS In this study, we tested the hypothesis that alcohol withdrawal increases the serum levels of BDNF in alcoholic patients and investigated correlations between serum BDNF and NT3 and alcohol in breath as well as with the body-mass-index (BMI), lipoprotein profiles and lifestyle factors in 110 male in-patients diagnosed with alcohol addiction on the first day after admission and at discharge. RESULTS The intoxication level (alcohol in breath at admission) was significantly correlated with liver enzymes and BDNF concentrations (R = .28; p = .004). Patients with positive breath-alcohol test at admission had about 9 times higher NT3 levels and higher liver enzyme concentration levels than nonintoxicated subjects. Alcohol intoxicated patients with pathological aspartate aminase (ASAT) levels had even higher NT3 level (F = 5.41; p = .022). The concentration of NT3 was positively associated with the (BMI) (admission R = .36; p = .004; discharge R = .33; p = .001), and the obese patients had 3 to 5 times higher NT3 concentration than the others. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) concentration levels were found to positively correlate with NT3 concentration levels (admission R = .025; p = .015 discharge R = .24; p = .23). CONCLUSION Other than expected, the levels of NT3 and to a lesser extent BDNF levels, were found to be significantly increased in acute alcohol abuse. Alcohol deprivation did not significantly change the serum neurotrophin levels at admission. NT3 levels were positively correlated with the BMI and LDL levels. Because of expected difference between genders, we recommend investigating these correlations further in patients of both genders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurel Popa-Wagner
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotheraphy, University of Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Karolina Furczyk
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotheraphy, University of Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Joerg Richter
- Norway Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Eastern and Southern Norway, Oslo, 0405 Norway
| | - Gisela Irmisch
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotheraphy, University of Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Johannes Thome
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotheraphy, University of Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
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Hill SY, Terwilliger R, McDermott M. White matter microstructure, alcohol exposure, and familial risk for alcohol dependence. Psychiatry Res 2013; 212:43-53. [PMID: 23473988 PMCID: PMC3714312 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2012.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2012] [Revised: 11/13/2012] [Accepted: 11/14/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Offspring from families with alcohol dependence (AD) have been shown to exhibit brain morphological alterations that appear to be related to their familial/genetic risk for AD. Greater susceptibility for developing AD may be related to structural underpinnings of behavioral traits that predispose to AD. We examined white matter (WM) integrity in 81 individuals with either a high density of AD in their families (N=44) or without a family history for either alcohol or drug dependence (N=37). Magnetic resonance images were acquired on a Siemens 3 T scanner with fractional anistropy (FA) and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), along with radial diffusivity (RD) and longitudinal (axial) diffusivity calculated for major white matter tracts in both hemispheres. Extensive personal histories of alcohol and drug use were available from longitudinal collection of data allowing for reliable estimates of alcohol and drug exposure. We found that the interaction of personal exposure to alcohol and familial risk for AD predicts reduction in WM integrity for the inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) and the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) in the left hemisphere and the forceps major tract. Only one tract showed a significant difference for exposure alone, the anterior thalamic radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Y Hill
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, 3811 O'Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2593, United States.
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Welch KA, Carson A, Lawrie SM. Brain structure in adolescents and young adults with alcohol problems: systematic review of imaging studies. Alcohol Alcohol 2013; 48:433-44. [PMID: 23632805 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agt037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Alcohol-dependent people who are middle-aged or older have a widespread loss of cortical grey and white matter, particularly in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). We examine if brain abnormalities are detectable in alcohol use disorders before the fifth decade (i.e., <40), and the brain structural differences associated with alcohol abuse/dependence in adolescence. METHODS Case-control studies comparing brain structure in alcohol-abusing/-dependent individuals with normal controls in which the mean age of participants was <40 were identified using Medline, EMBASE and PsychInfo. Studies in which mean age was over and under 21 were considered separately. RESULTS Twelve papers fulfilled inclusion criteria, five in the adolescent (14-21) and seven in the young adult age range. Two independent groups reported hippocampal and prefrontal volume reductions in adolescents, although this was consistently observed only in females. In young adults (aged 21-40), there were grey matter deficits in the PFC in both sexes. Adult women appeared to, particularly, exhibit white matter differences, evident as reduced area of the corpus callosum. Hippocampal volume reduction was observed in one study of young adults study but not another. CONCLUSION The available data suggest that quantitative structural abnormalities of the brain are detectable in young alcohol abusers. There is overlap between the abnormalities seen in adolescents and young adults, although hippocampal volume loss is most consistently seen in the former group. The adolescent hippocampus may be particularly susceptible to alcohol, potentially because of an interaction between adolescent brain development and alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Killian A Welch
- Division of Psychiatry, School of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK.
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[Cognitive vulnerability to alcohol dependence: related neuroanatomic endophenotypes]. Encephale 2013; 39:320-5. [PMID: 23541231 DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2012.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2012] [Accepted: 11/26/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Executive function impairments and high level of impulsivity may constitute heritable endophenotypes that confer predisposition for alcohol dependence. Brain volume abnormalities have also been reported in young, alcohol-naïve subjects at high risk (HR) for alcohol dependence, and linked to cognitive dysfunction. METHODS This paper presents a literature review of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies that examined brain volumes in adolescent/young adult HR offspring from families with multiple cases of alcohol dependence compared to low risk controls with no family history of alcohol or drug misuse. In some of these studies, executive functioning and externalizing symptoms were also assessed. RESULTS In HR subjects, local white matter volume deficits were found in the corpus callosum and in the right orbito-frontal cortex, and lower fractional anisotropy in the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus and in the right optic radiation. Altered fronto-cerebellar connectivity has also been reported. Diminished gray matter volume of the cerebellar cortex was found in HR subjects, in the frontal, cyngulate and para-hippocampal gyri, and also in the amygdala, the thalamus and the cerebellum. These structural abnormalities have been associated with higher impulsivity level and executive function impairments, themselves markers of vulnerability to alcoholism. These premorbid cerebral abnormalities may increase the risk for developing an alcohol use disorder in HR subjects through atypical control processing. CONCLUSION Brain abnormalities may potentially constitute an abnormal neural network that might underlie the risk towards alcohol dependence. These circuitry abnormalities might contribute to the reward deficiency, as well as impaired response inhibition that predict impulsive spectrum behavior, which are thought to represent the inherited vulnerability to alcohol dependence in HR individuals.
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Lisdahl KM, Thayer R, Squeglia LM, McQueeny TM, Tapert SF. Recent binge drinking predicts smaller cerebellar volumes in adolescents. Psychiatry Res 2013; 211:17-23. [PMID: 23154095 PMCID: PMC3670762 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2012.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2012] [Revised: 07/23/2012] [Accepted: 07/24/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The current study examined the effects of recent binge drinking on cerebellar morphometry in a sample of healthy adolescents. Participants were 106 teenagers (46 bingers and 60 controls) aged 16-19 who received a high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. FreeSurfer segmented and quantified the volume of each cerebellum. Maximum drinks during a binge in the past 3 months and duration since last binge were examined as predictors of cerebellar volume, after controlling for potentially confounding variables. In the 106 teens, higher peak drinks predicted smaller left hemisphere cerebellar gray and whitematter, and right hemisphere cerebellar gray matter, and marginally predicted smaller right hemisphere cerebellar white matter. Gender did not moderate these effects. More intense adolescent binge drinking is linked to smaller cerebellar volumes even in healthy teens, above and beyond variability attributable to risk factors for binge drinking. Longitudinal research is needed to see if cerebellar volumes worsen with protracted drinking and recover with abstinence. Interventions aimed at improving brain structure in adolescent binge drinkers are necessary given the high prevalence of risky drinking in youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista M. Lisdahl
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI and Clinical & Translational Science Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI,VA San Diego Healthcare System and Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA,Correspondence concerning the paper should be addressed to Dr. Krista M. Lisdahl, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2241 E. Hartford Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211. , Phone: 414-229-7159, Fax: 414-229-5219
| | - Rachel Thayer
- San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA
| | - Lindsay M. Squeglia
- San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA
| | - Tim M. McQueeny
- Department of Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Susan F. Tapert
- VA San Diego Healthcare System and Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA
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Rando K, Tuit K, Hannestad J, Guarnaccia J, Sinha R. Sex differences in decreased limbic and cortical grey matter volume in cocaine dependence: a voxel-based morphometric study. Addict Biol 2013; 18:147-60. [PMID: 23167305 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Structural neuroimaging studies have provided evidence of differences in local brain volume between cocaine-dependent and healthy control individuals. While sex differences in aetiology, course and brain dysfunction associated with chronic cocaine abuse have been previously documented, evidence of sex-specific differences in brain volume has not been examined thus far. This study examined sex-related differences in grey matter volume between cocaine-dependent and healthy control subjects using voxel-based morphometry. High-resolution T1 structural scans were obtained from 36 inpatient, treatment-engaged 3-week abstinent cocaine-dependent (CD) individuals. Fifty healthy control subjects were also scanned. Segmentation and registration were performed in SPM8, using New Segment and DARTEL, respectively. The whole-brain statistical analysis was conducted in SPM8 using random field-based cluster-size testing and family-wise error rate correction for multiple comparisons. CD patients were found to have less grey matter volume in anterior prefrontal cortex, including frontopolar and orbitofrontal cortices, and a posterior region surrounding the parietal-occipital sulcus. Female CD patients had less grey matter volume than female controls in left inferior frontal gyrus, insula, superior temporal gyrus and hippocampus. Male CD patients had less grey matter in a superior cortical region that included the precentral gyrus and the mid-cingulate. These sex differences in lower grey matter volume add to the evidence from functional neuroimaging for sex-specific differences in the neurophysiological changes associated with chronic cocaine use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Rando
- Department of Psychiatry; Yale University School of Medicine; New Haven; CT; USA
| | - Keri Tuit
- Department of Psychiatry; Yale University School of Medicine; New Haven; CT; USA
| | - Jonas Hannestad
- Department of Psychiatry; Yale University School of Medicine; New Haven; CT; USA
| | - Joseph Guarnaccia
- Department of Neurology; Yale University School of Medicine; New Haven; CT; USA
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37
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Abstract
This review examines neuroimaging and neurocognitive findings on alcohol-related toxicity in adolescents. Teens who meet criteria for alcohol use disorders, as well as those who engage in subdiagnostic binge drinking behaviors, often show poorer neurocognitive performance, alterations in gray and white matter brain structure, and discrepant functional brain activation patterns when compared to nonusing and demographically matched controls. Abnormalities are also observed in teens with a family history of alcoholism, and such differences in neuromaturation may leave youths at increased risk for the development of an alcohol use disorder or increased substance use severity. More prospective investigations are needed, and future work should focus on disentangling preexisting differences from dose-dependent effects of alcohol on neurodevelopment. Intervention strategies that utilize neuroimaging findings (e.g., identified weaknesses in particular neural substrates and behavioral correlates) may be helpful in both prevention and intervention campaigns for teens both pre- and postinitiation of alcohol use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Jacobus
- Psychology Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California 92161, USA
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38
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Abstract
This review examines neuroimaging and neurocognitive findings on alcohol-related toxicity in adolescents. Teens who meet criteria for alcohol use disorders, as well as those who engage in subdiagnostic binge drinking behaviors, often show poorer neurocognitive performance, alterations in gray and white matter brain structure, and discrepant functional brain activation patterns when compared to nonusing and demographically matched controls. Abnormalities are also observed in teens with a family history of alcoholism, and such differences in neuromaturation may leave youths at increased risk for the development of an alcohol use disorder or increased substance use severity. More prospective investigations are needed, and future work should focus on disentangling preexisting differences from dose-dependent effects of alcohol on neurodevelopment. Intervention strategies that utilize neuroimaging findings (e.g., identified weaknesses in particular neural substrates and behavioral correlates) may be helpful in both prevention and intervention campaigns for teens both pre- and postinitiation of alcohol use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Jacobus
- Psychology Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California 92161, USA
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39
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Boutte D, Calhoun VD, Chen J, Sabbineni A, Hutchison K, Liu J. Association of genetic copy number variations at 11 q14.2 with brain regional volume differences in an alcohol use disorder population. Alcohol 2012; 46:519-27. [PMID: 22732324 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2012.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2011] [Revised: 04/25/2012] [Accepted: 05/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This study investigates the relationship between genetic copy number variations and brain volume differences in an alcohol use disorder (AUD) population. We hypothesized that copy number variations may influence subject's risk for alcohol use disorders through variations in regional gray and white matter brain volumes. Since genetic influences upon behavior are the result of many complicated interactions we focus on differences in brain volume as a putative intermediate phenotype between genetic variation and behavior. Copy number variation, alcohol use assessments and brain structural magnetic resonance images from 283 subjects, 199 male and 84 females who were enrolled in two AUD studies were obtained and analyzed using a combination of the Freesurfer image analysis suite and independent component analysis. Because brain volume varies by age we compared participant's volume variation with that derived from a control cohort of 75 subjects. In addition we also regressed out the possible brain volume changes induced by long term alcohol consumption. Small cerebral cortex, cerebellar and caudate along with large cerebral white matter and 5th ventricle volumes are shown to be significantly associated with increased AUD severity. When these volume variations are compared with control subject volumes; the variations seen in subjects with AUD are markedly different from normal aging effects. CNVs at 11 q14.2 are marginally (p < 0.05 uncorrected) correlated with such brain volume variations and the correlation holds true after controlling for long-term alcohol consumption; deletion carriers have smaller cerebral cortex, cerebellar, caudate and larger cerebral white matter and 5th ventricle volumes than insertion carriers or subjects with no variation in this region. Similarly, deletion carriers also demonstrate higher AUD severity scores than insertion carriers or subjects with no variation. The results presented here suggest that copy number variation and in particular the variation at chromosome 11 q14.2 may have an impact in brain volume variation, potentially influencing AUD behavior.
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40
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Villanueva R. The cerebellum and neuropsychiatric disorders. Psychiatry Res 2012; 198:527-32. [PMID: 22436353 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2012.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2011] [Revised: 12/07/2011] [Accepted: 02/22/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Relative to non-human primates, in humans the cerebellum, and prefrontal cortex are brain regions which have undergone major evolutionary changes. In recent decades, progress in molecular biology and advances in the development of functional neuroimaging analysis have shown that the evolution of the human cerebellum was accompanied by the acquisition of more functions than were previously deduced from human post-mortem studies and animal experimentation. These new cerebellar functions included the control of attention and other cognitive functions, emotions and mood, and social behavior, which were all thought to represent cortical functions. The importance of this new view of cerebellar physiology has been confirmed by the frequency of neuropsychiatric disorders in individuals with cerebellar abnormalities. The information collected in this review emphasizes the importance of cerebellar studies in establishing the physiological substrate of mental diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Villanueva
- Servicio de Psiquiatria, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Paseo de Castellana 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain.
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41
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Hill SY, Weeks DE, Jones BL, Zezza N, Stiffler S. ASTN1 and alcohol dependence: family-based association analysis in multiplex alcohol dependence families. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2012; 159B:445-55. [PMID: 22488871 PMCID: PMC3623684 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2012] [Accepted: 03/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A previous genome-wide linkage study of alcohol dependence (AD) in multiplex families found a suggestive linkage result for a region on Chromosome 1 near microsatellite markers D1S196 and D1S2878. The ASTN1 gene is in this region, a gene previously reported to be associated with substance abuse, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Using the same family data consisting of 330 individuals with phenotypic data and DNA, finer mapping of a 26 cM region centered on D1S196 was undertaken using SNPs with minor allele frequency (MAF) ≥ 0.15 and pair-wise linkage disequilibrium (LD) of r(2) < 0.8 using the HapMap CEU population. Significant FBAT P-values for SNPs within the ASTN1 gene were observed for four SNPs (rs465066, rs228008, rs6668092, and rs172917), the most significant, rs228008, within intron 8 had a P-value of 0.001. Using MQLS, which allows for inclusion of all families, we find three of these SNPs with MQLS P-values < 0.003. In addition, two additional neighboring SNPs (rs10798496 and rs6667588) showed significance at P = 0.002 and 0.03, respectively. Haplotype analysis was performed using the haplotype-based test function of FBAT for a block that included rs228008, rs6668092, and rs172917. This analysis found one block (GCG) over-transmitted and another (ATA) under-transmitted to affected offspring. Linkage analysis identified a region consistent with the association results. Family-based association analysis shows the ASTN1 gene significantly associated with alcohol dependence. The potential importance of the ASTN1 gene for AD risk may be related its role in glial-guided neuronal migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Y. Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,Correspondence to: Dr. Shirley Y. Hill, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 3811 O’ Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
| | - Daniel E. Weeks
- Departments of Human Genetics and Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Bobby L. Jones
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Nicholas Zezza
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Scott Stiffler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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