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Staudt J, Kok T, de Haan HA, Walvoort SJW, Egger JIM. Neurocognitive Recovery in Abstinent Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder: A Scoping Review for Associated Factors. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2023; 19:2039-2054. [PMID: 37790802 PMCID: PMC10544223 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s424017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Studies have reported inconsistent results regarding the extent to which neurocognitive recovery occurs in abstinent patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). In addition to abstinence, other factors may have influenced this process and contributed to the inconsistencies. This review examines the factors investigated in this regard and describes the possible influence of each factor based on the evidence collected. Methodology PubMed was systematically searched for articles published between January 2000 and July 2023. Longitudinal humane studies investigating neurocognitive recovery in abstinent adult AUD patients were included. Studies with a cross-sectional design were excluded, as were studies that did not classify AUD according to the DSM-IV or 5 criteria, only examined binge use, did not report neuropsychological outcomes or duration of abstinence, or where neurological disorders were present. Results Sixteen categories of factors were distinguished from 31 full-text articles. Consistent patterns were found, indicating an association between neurocognitive recovery and the "smoking" and 'brain volume" factors. Consistent patterns were also found indicating that there is no relationship with "quantities of alcohol used" and "education level." A similar consistent pattern was also found for "polysubstance use", "gender" and "verbal reading", but the number of studies is considered limited. The association with "age" is studied frequently but with inconsistent findings. The remaining eight factors were regarded as understudied. Conclusion The clearest patterns emerging from the evidence are a predominantly negative influence of smoking on neurocognitive recovery, associations between changes in brain area volume and neurocognitive recovery, and no association between neurocognitive recovery and the amount of alcohol consumed, as measured by self-report, nor with educational attainment. Future research on the understudied factors and factors with inconsistent evidence is needed, preferably through longitudinal designs with multiple assessment periods starting after at least two weeks of abstinence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen Staudt
- Tactus Addiction Treatment, Deventer, the Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Tim Kok
- Tactus Addiction Treatment, Deventer, the Netherlands
| | - Hein A de Haan
- Tactus Addiction Treatment, Deventer, the Netherlands
- Nijmegen Institute for Scientist Practitioners in Addiction, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Jos I M Egger
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Centre of Excellence for Korsakoff and Alcohol Related Cognitive Disorders, Vincent van Gogh Institute for Psychiatry, Venray, the Netherlands
- Centre of Excellence for Neuropsychiatry, Vincent van Gogh Institute for Psychiatry, Venray, the Netherlands
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2
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Pietschnig J, Gerdesmann D, Zeiler M, Voracek M. Of differing methods, disputed estimates and discordant interpretations: the meta-analytical multiverse of brain volume and IQ associations. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211621. [PMID: 35573038 PMCID: PMC9096623 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Brain size and IQ are positively correlated. However, multiple meta-analyses have led to considerable differences in summary effect estimations, thus failing to provide a plausible effect estimate. Here we aim at resolving this issue by providing the largest meta-analysis and systematic review so far of the brain volume and IQ association (86 studies; 454 effect sizes from k = 194 independent samples; N = 26 000+) in three cognitive ability domains (full-scale, verbal, performance IQ). By means of competing meta-analytical approaches as well as combinatorial and specification curve analyses, we show that most reasonable estimates for the brain size and IQ link yield r-values in the mid-0.20s, with the most extreme specifications yielding rs of 0.10 and 0.37. Summary effects appeared to be somewhat inflated due to selective reporting, and cross-temporally decreasing effect sizes indicated a confounding decline effect, with three quarters of the summary effect estimations according to any reasonable specification not exceeding r = 0.26, thus contrasting effect sizes were observed in some prior related, but individual, meta-analytical specifications. Brain size and IQ associations yielded r = 0.24, with the strongest effects observed for more g-loaded tests and in healthy samples that generalize across participant sex and age bands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Pietschnig
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Gerdesmann
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria
- Department of Physics Education, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology, University of Education Freiburg, Germany
| | - Michael Zeiler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Voracek
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria
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3
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Grønkjaer M, Flensborg-Madsen T, Osler M, Sørensen HJ, Becker U, Mortensen EL. Intelligence Test Scores Before and After Alcohol-Related Disorders-A Longitudinal Study of Danish Male Conscripts. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:2187-2195. [PMID: 31386205 PMCID: PMC6851852 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Background Existing studies on intellectual consequences of alcohol‐related disorders are primarily cross‐sectional and compare intelligence test scores of individuals with and without alcohol‐related disorders, hence mixing the influence of alcohol‐related disorders and predisposing factors such as premorbid intelligence. In this large‐scale study, the primary aim was to estimate associations of alcohol‐related disorders with changes in intelligence test scores from early adulthood to late midlife. Methods Data were drawn from a follow‐up study on middle‐aged men, which included a re‐examination of the same intelligence test as completed in young adulthood at military conscription (total analytic sample = 2,499). Alcohol‐related hospital diagnoses were obtained from national health registries, whereas treatment for alcohol problems was self‐reported at follow‐up. The analyses included adjustment for year of birth, retest interval, baseline intelligence quotient (IQ) score, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, and psychiatric and somatic comorbidity. Results Individuals with alcohol‐related hospital diagnoses (8%) had a significantly lower baseline IQ score (95.0 vs. 100.5, p < 0.001) and a larger decline in IQ scores from baseline to follow‐up (−8.5 vs. −4.8, p < 0.001) than individuals without such diagnoses. The larger decline in IQ scores with alcohol‐related hospital diagnoses remained statistically significant after adjustment for all the covariates. Similar results were revealed when IQ scores before and after self‐reported treatment for alcohol problems (10%) were examined. Conclusions Individuals with alcohol‐related disorders have a lower intelligence test score both in young adulthood and in late midlife, and these disorders, moreover, seem to be associated with more age‐related decline in intelligence test scores. Thus, low mean intellectual ability observed in individuals with alcohol‐related disorders is probably a result of both lower premorbid intelligence and more intellectual decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Grønkjaer
- From the, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Trine Flensborg-Madsen
- From the, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Merete Osler
- From the, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Center for Clinical Research and Disease Prevention, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Ulrik Becker
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Gastrounit, Medical Division, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Erik Lykke Mortensen
- From the, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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4
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Fede SJ, Grodin EN, Dean SF, Diazgranados N, Momenan R. Resting state connectivity best predicts alcohol use severity in moderate to heavy alcohol users. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2019; 22:101782. [PMID: 30921611 PMCID: PMC6438989 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the United States, 13% of adults are estimated to have alcohol use disorder (AUD). Most studies examining the neurobiology of AUD treat individuals with this disorder as a homogeneous group; however, the theories of the neurocircuitry of AUD call for a quantitative and dimensional approach. Previous imaging studies find differences in brain structure, function, and resting-state connectivity in AUD, but few use a multimodal approach to understand the association between severity of alcohol use and the brain differences. METHODS Adults (ages 22-60) with problem drinking patterns (n = 59) completed a behavioral and neuroimaging protocol at the National Institutes of Health. Alcohol severity was quantified with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). In a 3 T MRI scanner, participants underwent a structural MRI as well as resting-state, monetary incentive delay, and face matching fMRI scans. Machine learning was applied and trained using the neural data from MRI scanning. The model was tested for generalizability in a validation sample (n = 24). RESULTS The resting state-connectivity features model best predicted AUD severity in the naïve sample, compared to task fMRI, structural MRI, combined MRI features, or demographic features. Network connectivity features between salience network, default mode network, executive control network, and sensory networks explained 33% of the variance associated with AUDIT in this model. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that the neural effects of AUD vary according to severity. Our results emphasize the utility of resting state fMRI as a neuroimaging biomarker for quantitative clinical evaluation of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Fede
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814, MSC 1108, United States.
| | - Erica N Grodin
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814, MSC 1108, United States
| | - Sarah F Dean
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814, MSC 1108, United States
| | - Nancy Diazgranados
- Office of Clinical Director, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814, MSC 1108, United States
| | - Reza Momenan
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814, MSC 1108, United States.
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Braatveit KJ, Torsheim T, Hove O. Intellectual Functioning in In-Patients with Substance Use Disorders: Preliminary Results from a Clinical Mediation Study of Factors Contributing to IQ Variance. Eur Addict Res 2018; 24:19-27. [PMID: 29393174 DOI: 10.1159/000486620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To investigate the direct effect of different childhood difficulties on adult intelligence coefficient (IQ) and their possible indirect effect through the mediating pathways of education and severity substance use. PARTICIPANTS Ninety in-patients aged 19-64. The participants had abstained from substance use for at least 6 weeks and had different substance use profiles. MEASUREMENTS Substance use disorder (SUD) and psychiatric illnesses were diagnosed according to the International Classification of Diseases 10th edition criteria. IQ was measured with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, 4th edition. Childhood difficulties, severity of substance use and level of education were assessed through a self-report questionnaire. FINDINGS Mean full scale IQ for the studied population was 87.3. Learning and attention deficit/hyperactivity difficulties in childhood were directly related to adult IQ. Education had a mediating effect between childhood learning difficulties/conduct problems and the verbal comprehension index. There was no significant difference in IQ due to the specific substance used or severity of substance use. CONCLUSION IQ variance in in-treatment individuals with SUD was related to childhood functioning alone or through the mediator of education. Substance-related factors did not contribute to IQ variance. The results fit a normal theory of IQ development with commonly known risk factors and no disturbing effect of substance use.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Torbjørn Torsheim
- Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Faculty of Psychology, Bergen, Norway
| | - Oddbjørn Hove
- Department of Research and Innovation, Helse Fonna HF, Haugesund, Norway
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6
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Gignac GE, Bates TC. Brain volume and intelligence: The moderating role of intelligence measurement quality. INTELLIGENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2017.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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7
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Petit G, Luminet O, Cordovil de Sousa Uva M, Zorbas A, Maurage P, de Timary P. Differential spontaneous recovery across cognitive abilities during detoxification period in alcohol-dependence. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176638. [PMID: 28767647 PMCID: PMC5540274 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is a lack of consensus regarding the extent to which cognitive dysfunctions may recover upon cessation of alcohol intake by alcohol-dependents (AD), and the divergent findings are most likely due to methodological differences between the various studies. The present study was aimed at conducting a very strict longitudinal study of cognitive recovery in terms of assessment points, the duration of abstinence, control of age and duration of the addiction, and by use of individual analyses in addition to mean group comparisons. Our study further focused on the 2-3 week phase of alcohol detoxification that is already known to positively affect many biological, emotional, motivational, as well as neural variables, followed by longer-term therapies for which good cognitive functioning is needed. METHODS 41 AD inpatients undergoing a detoxification program, and 41 matched controls, were evaluated twice in terms of five cognitive functions (i.e., short-term memory, working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and verbal fluency) within a three-week interval [on the first day (T1) and the 18th day (T2) of abstinence for AD patients]. Emotional (positive and negative affectivity and depression) and motivational (craving) variables were also measured at both evaluation times. RESULTS Although verbal fluency, short-term memory, and cognitive flexibility did not appear to be affected, the patients exhibited impaired inhibition and working memory at T1. While no recovery of inhibition was found to occur, the average working memory performance of the patients was comparable to that of the controls at T2. Improvements in emotional and motivational dimensions were also observed, although they did not correlate with the ones in working memory. Individual analysis showed that not all participants were impaired or recover the same functions. CONCLUSIONS While inhibition deficits appear to persist after 18 days of detoxification, deficits in working memory, which is a central component of cognition, are greatly reduced after alcohol detoxification. Individual differences in the trajectory of recovery do arise however, and it might be worth implementing individual assessments of impaired functions at the end of the detoxification phase in order to maximize the chances of success in longer-term treatments and abstinence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Géraldine Petit
- Research Institute for Psychological Sciences, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Saint-Luc Academic Hospital, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory for Experimental Psychopathology, Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Olivier Luminet
- Research Institute for Psychological Sciences, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- The Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (FRS-FNRS), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mariana Cordovil de Sousa Uva
- Research Institute for Psychological Sciences, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Saint-Luc Academic Hospital, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Alexis Zorbas
- Research Institute for Psychological Sciences, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Saint-Luc Academic Hospital, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre Maurage
- Research Institute for Psychological Sciences, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Laboratory for Experimental Psychopathology, Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- The Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (FRS-FNRS), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Philippe de Timary
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Saint-Luc Academic Hospital, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory for Experimental Psychopathology, Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Unité Intégrée d’Hépatologie, Saint-Luc Academic Hospital, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
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8
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Zahr NM. Structural and microstructral imaging of the brain in alcohol use disorders. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2016; 125:275-90. [PMID: 25307581 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-62619-6.00017-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), by enabling rigorous in vivo study of the longitudinal, dynamic course of alcoholism through periods of drinking, sobriety, and relapse, has enabled characterization of the effects of chronic alcoholism on the brain in the human condition. Importantly, MRI has distinguished alcohol-related brain effects that are permanent versus those that are reversible with abstinence. In support of postmortem neuropathologic studies showing degeneration of white matter, MRI has shown a specific vulnerability of brain white matter to chronic alcohol exposure by demonstrating white-matter volume deficits, yet not leaving selective gray-matter structures unscathed. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), by permitting microstructural characterization of white matter, has extended MRI findings in alcoholics. This review focuses on MRI and DTI findings in common concomitants of alcoholism, including Wernicke's encephalopathy, Korsakoff's syndrome, hepatic encephalopathy, central pontine myelinolysis, alcoholic cerebellar degeneration, alcoholic dementia, and Marchiafava-Bignami disease as a framework for findings in so-called "uncomplicated alcoholism," and also covers findings in abstinence and relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie M Zahr
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Neuroscience Program, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA.
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9
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Norman LR, Basso M. An Update of the Review of Neuropsychological Consequences of HIV and Substance Abuse: A Literature Review and Implications for Treatment and Future Research. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 8:50-71. [PMID: 25751583 DOI: 10.2174/1874473708666150309124820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2014] [Revised: 03/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neuropyschological dysfunction, ranging from mild cerebral indicators to dementia has been a consistent part of the medical picture of HIV/AIDS. However, advances in medical supervision, particularly as a result of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, have resulted in some mitigation of the neuropsychological effects of HIV and necessitate re-evaluation of the pattern and nature of HIV-related cognitive or mental deficits. The associated enhancements in morbidity and mortality that have occurred as a result of ARV medication have led to a need for interventions and programs that maintain behaviors that are healthy and stop the resurgence of the risk of HIV transmission. Risk factors such as mental illness and substance use that may have contributed to the initial infection with HIV still need consideration. These risk factors may also increase neuropsychological dysfunction and impact observance of prevention for treatment and recommendations. Explicitly, a better comprehension of the role of substance use on the progression of HIV-related mental decline can enlighten management and evaluation of persons living with HIV with concurrent disorders of substance use. This review provides a summary of the neurophyschology of substance use and HIV and the existing research that has looked at the effects of both substance use and HIV disease on neurophyscological function and suggestions for future research and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa R Norman
- Public Health Program, Ponce School of Medicine, Ponce, PR 00732, USA.
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10
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Luciano M, Marioni RE, Hernández MV, Maniega SM, Hamilton IF, Royle NA, Scotland G, Chauhan G, Bis JC, Debette S, DeCarli C, Fornage M, Schmidt R, Ikram MA, Launer LJ, Seshadri S, Bastin ME, Porteous DJ, Wardlaw J, Deary IJ. Structural Brain MRI Trait Polygenic Score Prediction of Cognitive Abilities. Twin Res Hum Genet 2015; 18:738-45. [PMID: 26427786 PMCID: PMC4747328 DOI: 10.1017/thg.2015.71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Structural brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) traits share part of their genetic variance with cognitive traits. Here, we use genetic association results from large meta-analytic studies of genome-wide association (GWA) for brain infarcts (BI), white matter hyperintensities, intracranial, hippocampal, and total brain volumes to estimate polygenic scores for these traits in three Scottish samples: Generation Scotland: Scottish Family Health Study (GS:SFHS), and the Lothian Birth Cohorts of 1936 (LBC1936) and 1921 (LBC1921). These five brain MRI trait polygenic scores were then used to: (1) predict corresponding MRI traits in the LBC1936 (numbers ranged 573 to 630 across traits), and (2) predict cognitive traits in all three cohorts (in 8,115-8,250 persons). In the LBC1936, all MRI phenotypic traits were correlated with at least one cognitive measure, and polygenic prediction of MRI traits was observed for intracranial volume. Meta-analysis of the correlations between MRI polygenic scores and cognitive traits revealed a significant negative correlation (maximal r = 0.08) between the HV polygenic score and measures of global cognitive ability collected in childhood and in old age in the Lothian Birth Cohorts. The lack of association to a related general cognitive measure when including the GS:SFHS points to either type 1 error or the importance of using prediction samples that closely match the demographics of the GWA samples from which prediction is based. Ideally, these analyses should be repeated in larger samples with data on both MRI and cognition, and using MRI GWA results from even larger meta-analysis studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Luciano
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Riccardo E Marioni
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Medical Genetics Section, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Maria Valdés Hernández
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Brain Research Imaging Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence (SINAPSE) Collaboration, Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Susana Munoz Maniega
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Brain Research Imaging Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence (SINAPSE) Collaboration, Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Iona F Hamilton
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Brain Research Imaging Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence (SINAPSE) Collaboration, Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Natalie A. Royle
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Brain Research Imaging Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence (SINAPSE) Collaboration, Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Generation Scotland
- Medical Genetics Section, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ganesh Chauhan
- Inserm Research Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics (U897) - Team Neuroepidemiology, Bordeaux, France
- University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Joshua C. Bis
- Cardiovascular Health Research Unit, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Stephanie Debette
- Inserm Research Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics (U897) - Team Neuroepidemiology, Bordeaux, France
- University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Neurology, Bordeaux University Hospital, Bordeaux, France
| | - Charles DeCarli
- Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Myriam Fornage
- Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX
- Human Genetics Center, Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX
| | | | - M. Arfan Ikram
- Departments of Epidemiology, Radiology and Neurology at Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lenore J. Launer
- Laboratory of Epidemiology, Demography, and Biometry, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sudha Seshadri
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Framingham Heart Study
| | - the CHARGE Consortium
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Framingham Heart Study
| | - Mark E. Bastin
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Brain Research Imaging Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence (SINAPSE) Collaboration, Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - David J. Porteous
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Medical Genetics Section, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Joanna Wardlaw
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Brain Research Imaging Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence (SINAPSE) Collaboration, Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ian J Deary
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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11
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Pietschnig J, Penke L, Wicherts JM, Zeiler M, Voracek M. Meta-analysis of associations between human brain volume and intelligence differences: How strong are they and what do they mean? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 57:411-32. [PMID: 26449760 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Revised: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Positive associations between human intelligence and brain size have been suspected for more than 150 years. Nowadays, modern non-invasive measures of in vivo brain volume (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) make it possible to reliably assess associations with IQ. By means of a systematic review of published studies and unpublished results obtained by personal communications with researchers, we identified 88 studies examining effect sizes of 148 healthy and clinical mixed-sex samples (>8000 individuals). Our results showed significant positive associations of brain volume and IQ (r=.24, R(2)=.06) that generalize over age (children vs. adults), IQ domain (full-scale, performance, and verbal IQ), and sex. Application of a number of methods for detection of publication bias indicates that strong and positive correlation coefficients have been reported frequently in the literature whilst small and non-significant associations appear to have been often omitted from reports. We show that the strength of the positive association of brain volume and IQ has been overestimated in the literature, but remains robust even when accounting for different types of dissemination bias, although reported effects have been declining over time. While it is tempting to interpret this association in the context of human cognitive evolution and species differences in brain size and cognitive ability, we show that it is not warranted to interpret brain size as an isomorphic proxy of human intelligence differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Pietschnig
- Department of Applied Psychology-Health, Development, Enhancement and Intervention, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Psychology, School of Science and Technology, Middlesex University Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Lars Penke
- Georg Elias Müller Department of Psychology, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jelte M Wicherts
- Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Michael Zeiler
- Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Voracek
- Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Georg Elias Müller Department of Psychology, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Department of Psychology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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Durazzo TC, Mon A, Pennington D, Abé C, Gazdzinski S, Meyerhoff DJ. Interactive effects of chronic cigarette smoking and age on brain volumes in controls and alcohol-dependent individuals in early abstinence. Addict Biol 2014; 19:132-43. [PMID: 22943795 DOI: 10.1111/j.1369-1600.2012.00492.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Chronic alcohol-use disorders (AUDs) have been shown to interact with normal age-related volume loss to exacerbate brain atrophy with increasing age. However, chronic cigarette smoking, a highly co-morbid condition in AUD and its influence on age-related brain atrophy have not been evaluated. We performed 1.5 T quantitative magnetic resonance imaging in non-smoking controls [non-smoking light drinking controls (nsCONs); n = 54], smoking light drinking controls (sCONs, n = 34), and one-week abstinent, treatment-seeking alcohol-dependent (ALC) non-smokers (nsALCs, n = 35) and smokers (sALCs, n = 43), to evaluate the independent and interactive effects of alcohol dependence and chronic smoking on regional cortical and subcortical brain volumes, emphasizing the brain reward/executive oversight system (BREOS). The nsCONs and sALCs showed greater age-related volume losses than the nsALCs in the dorsal prefrontal cortex (DPFC), total cortical BREOS, superior parietal lobule and putamen. The nsALCs and sALCs demonstrated smaller volumes than the nsCONs in most cortical region of interests (ROIs). The sCONs had smaller volumes than the nsCONs in the DPFC, insula, inferior parietal lobule, temporal pole/parahippocampal region and all global cortical measures. The nsALCs and sALCs had smaller volumes than the sCONs in the DPFC, superior temporal gyrus, inferior and superior parietal lobules, precuneus and all global cortical measures. Volume differences between the nsALCs and sALCs were observed only in the putamen. Alcohol consumption measures were not related to volumes in any ROI for ALC; smoking severity measures were related to corpus callosum volume in the sCONs and sALCs. The findings indicate that consideration of smoking status is necessary for a better understanding of the factors contributing to regional brain atrophy in AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy C. Durazzo
- Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIND); San Francisco VA Medical Center; San Francisco CA USA
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging; University of California, San Francisco; CA USA
| | - Anderson Mon
- Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIND); San Francisco VA Medical Center; San Francisco CA USA
| | - David Pennington
- Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIND); San Francisco VA Medical Center; San Francisco CA USA
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging; University of California, San Francisco; CA USA
| | - Christoph Abé
- Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIND); San Francisco VA Medical Center; San Francisco CA USA
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging; University of California, San Francisco; CA USA
| | | | - Dieter J. Meyerhoff
- Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIND); San Francisco VA Medical Center; San Francisco CA USA
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging; University of California, San Francisco; CA USA
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13
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Durazzo TC, Mon A, Gazdzinski S, Meyerhoff DJ. Chronic cigarette smoking in alcohol dependence: associations with cortical thickness and N-acetylaspartate levels in the extended brain reward system. Addict Biol 2013; 18:379-91. [PMID: 22070867 DOI: 10.1111/j.1369-1600.2011.00407.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Chronic smoking in alcohol dependence is associated with abnormalities in brain morphology and metabolite levels in large lobar regions (e.g. frontal lobe). Here, we evaluated if these abnormalities are specifically apparent in several cortical and select subcortical components of the extended brain reward system (BRS), a network that is critically involved in the development and maintenance of all forms of addictive disorders. We studied 33 non-smoking and 43 smoking alcohol-dependent individuals (ALC) with 1 week of abstinence and 42 non-smoking Controls. At 1.5 Tesla, we obtained regional measures of cortical thickness and N-acetylaspartate (NAA; a surrogate marker of neuronal integrity) concentration in major components of the BRS as well as the corresponding measures throughout the cortex. Smoking ALC and non-smoking ALC demonstrated decreased thickness compared with Controls in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), insula, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), the total BRS, total frontal cortex and global cortex. Smoking ALC had significantly decreased thickness compared to non-smoking ALC in the ACC, insula, the total BRS and total frontal cortex. Smoking ALC had also lower NAA concentrations than both non-smoking ALC and Controls in the DLPFC, insula, superior corona radiata and the total BRS. Alcohol consumption and common medical and psychiatric co-morbidities did not mediate differences between smoking and non-smoking ALC. This dual modality magnetic resonance (MR) study indicated that chronic smoking in ALC was associated with significant cortical thinning and NAA abnormalities in anterior brain regions that are implicated in the development and maintenance of addictive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy C Durazzo
- Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIND), San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA.
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Dean AC, Groman SM, Morales AM, London ED. An evaluation of the evidence that methamphetamine abuse causes cognitive decline in humans. Neuropsychopharmacology 2013; 38:259-74. [PMID: 22948978 PMCID: PMC3527116 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2012.179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Methamphetamine (MA) is one of the most commonly abused illicit substances worldwide. Among other problems, abuse of the drug has been associated with reduced cognitive function across several domains. However, much of the literature has not attempted to differentiate cognitive difficulties caused by MA abuse from preexisting cognitive difficulties that are likely caused by other factors. Here, we address this question, evaluating evidence for a priori hypotheses pertaining to six lines of research: (a) animal studies; (b) cross-sectional human studies; (c) a twin study; (d) studies of changes in cognition with abstinence from MA; (e) studies of changes in brain structure and function with abstinence from MA; and (f) studies of the relationship between the severity of MA abuse and the extent of cognitive deficits observed. Overall the findings were mixed, with some support for a causal relationship between MA abuse and cognitive decline, and other findings suggesting that there is no relationship. The preponderance of the data, however, does support the possibility that MA abuse causes cognitive decline, of unknown duration, in at least some users of the drug. When averaged across individuals, this decline is likely to be mild in early-to-middle adulthood. However, moderator variables are likely to contribute to the presence and/or severity of cognitive decline exhibited by a given individual.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy C Dean
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1759, USA.
| | - Stephanie M Groman
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Angelica M Morales
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Edythe D London
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA,Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, and the Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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15
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Máttyássy A, Kéri S, Myers CE, Levy-Gigi E, Gluck MA, Kelemen O. Impaired Generalization of Associative Learning in Patients with Alcohol Dependence After Intermediate-term Abstinence. Alcohol Alcohol 2012; 47:533-7. [DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/ags050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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16
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Latvala A, Tuulio-Henriksson A, Dick DM, Vuoksimaa E, Viken RJ, Suvisaari J, Kaprio J, Rose RJ. Genetic origins of the association between verbal ability and alcohol dependence symptoms in young adulthood. Psychol Med 2011; 41:641-651. [PMID: 20529418 PMCID: PMC8094064 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291710001194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive deficits in alcohol dependence (AD) have been observed, poorer verbal ability being among the most consistent findings. Genetic factors influence both cognitive ability and AD, but whether these influences overlap is not known. METHOD A subset of 602 monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins from FinnTwin16, a population-based study of Finnish twins, was used to study the associations of verbal ability with DSM-III-R diagnosis and symptoms of AD, the maximum number of drinks consumed in a 24-h period, and the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index (RAPI) scores. These twins, most of them selected for within-pair discordance or concordance for their RAPI scores at age 18.5 years, were studied with neuropsychological tests and interviewed with the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism (SSAGA) in young adulthood (mean age 26.2 years, range 23-30 years). RESULTS All alcohol problem measures were associated with lower scores on the Vocabulary subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Revised (WAIS-R), a measure of verbal ability. In bivariate genetic models, Vocabulary and the alcohol problem measures had moderate heritabilities (0.54-0.72), and their covariation could be explained by correlated genetic influences (genetic correlations -0.20 to -0.31). CONCLUSIONS Poorer verbal ability and AD have partly overlapping biological etiology. The genetic and environmental influences on the development of cognitive abilities, alcohol problems and risk factors for AD should be studied further with prospective longitudinal designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Latvala
- Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
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17
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Sameti M, Smith S, Patenaude B, Fein G. Subcortical volumes in long-term abstinent alcoholics: associations with psychiatric comorbidity. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2011; 35:1067-80. [PMID: 21332530 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2011.01440.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research in chronic alcoholics on memory, decision-making, learning, stress, and reward circuitry has increasingly highlighted the importance of subcortical brain structures. In addition, epidemiological studies have established the pervasiveness of co-occurring psychiatric diagnoses in alcoholism. Subcortical structures have been implicated in externalizing pathology, including alcohol dependence, and in dysregulated stress and reward circuitry in anxiety and mood disorders and alcohol dependence. Most studies have focused on active or recently detoxified alcoholics, while subcortical structures in long-term abstinent alcoholics (LTAA) have remained relatively uninvestigated. METHODS Structural MRI was used to compare volumes of 8 subcortical structures (lateral ventricles, thalamus, caudate, putamen, pallidum, hippocampus, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens) in 24 female and 28 male LTAA (mean abstinence=6.3 years, mean age= 46.6 years) and 23 female and 25 male nonalcoholic controls (NAC) (mean age=45.6 years) to explore relations between subcortical brain volumes and alcohol use measures in LTAA and relations between subcortical volumes and psychiatric diagnoses and symptom counts in LTAA and NAC. RESULTS We found minimal differences between LTAA and NAC in subcortical volumes. However, in LTAA, but not NAC, volumes of targeted subcortical structures were smaller in individuals with versus without comorbid lifetime or current psychiatric diagnoses, independent of lifetime alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS Our finding of minimal differences in subcortical volumes between LTAA and NAC is consistent with LTAA never having had volume deficits in these regions. However, given that imaging studies have frequently reported smaller subcortical volumes in active and recently detoxified alcoholics compared to controls, our results are also consistent with the recovery of subcortical volumes with sustained abstinence. The finding of persistent smaller subcortical volumes in LTAA, but not NAC, with comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, suggests that the smaller volumes are a result of the combined effects of chronic alcohol dependence and psychiatric morbidity and suggests that a comorbid psychiatric disorder (even if not current) interferes with the recovery of subcortical volumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Sameti
- Neurobehavioral Research, Inc., 1585 Kapiolani Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96814, USA
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18
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Simon SL, Dean AC, Cordova X, Monterosso JR, London ED. Methamphetamine dependence and neuropsychological functioning: evaluating change during early abstinence. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2010; 71:335-44. [PMID: 20409426 DOI: 10.15288/jsad.2010.71.335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this work was to assess neuropsychological functioning of individuals in early abstinence from methamphetamine dependence and to test for cognitive change over the first month of abstinence. METHOD Methamphetamine-dependent subjects in very early abstinence from methamphetamine (4-9 days; n = 27) were compared with healthy comparison subjects (n = 28) on a test battery that evaluated five cognitive domains (attention/processing speed, learning/memory, working memory, timed executive functioning, and untimed executive functioning). A subsample of the methamphetamine-dependent subjects (n =18), who maintained abstinence for 1 month, as well as a subsample of the comparison subjects (n = 21), were retested. RESULTS At the first assessment, the methamphetamine-dependent subjects showed significantly worse performance than the comparison group on a test of processing speed; they also performed 0.31 SDs worse than the control group on a global battery composite score (p < .05). After a month of abstinence, methamphetamine-dependent subjects demonstrated slightly more cognitive improvement than healthy control subjects on the entire cognitive battery, but this difference did not approach statistical significance (p = .33). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that methamphetamine-dependent subjects do not show considerable cognitive gains in the first month of abstinence. A greater length of abstinence may be needed for cognitive improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara L Simon
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095-1759, USA
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Association of SOD2, a mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme, with gray matter volume shrinkage in alcoholics. Neuropsychopharmacology 2010; 35:1120-8. [PMID: 20043000 PMCID: PMC3055396 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2009.217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Chronic alcoholism leads to gray matter shrinkage and induces the formation of superoxide anions (O(2)(-)) that can cause neuronal cell death. The mitochondrial superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) enzyme is critical in the metabolism of superoxide. An Ala16Val polymorphism putatively affects SOD2 enzyme activity in vivo. Brain volumes of 76 treatment-seeking alcohol-dependent individuals were measured with a 1.5T MRI. Intracranial tissue margins were manually outlined on coronal sections. Gray matter, white matter, sulcal, and ventricular CSF volumes were estimated using intensity-based K-means clustering. Ala16Val (rs4880) and a second haplotype tagging SNP, rs10370, were genotyped. The q-value package was used to correct for multiple comparisons. In the alcoholics, cerebrospinal fluid and intra-cranial volumes showed significant differences across the six diplotype categories. The homozygous Ala16-containing diplotype rs10370TT-rs4880GG was associated with lowest gray matter ratio (greater shrinkage; p=0.005). Presence of one or two copies of the low activity Ala16 allele was a risk factor for lower gray matter volume in alcoholics below the median alcohol consumption (p=0.03) but not in alcoholics above this level. White matter ratio was associated with sex (p=0.002) and lifetime total alcohol consumption (p=0.01) but not with diplotypes. In this exploratory analysis, a putative functional missense variant of SOD2 appears to influence gray matter loss in alcoholics. This may be due to impaired clearance of reactive oxygen species formed as a result of alcohol exposure. The risk/protective effect was observed in alcoholics with lower levels of lifetime alcohol consumption. Highest levels of exposure may overwhelm the protective action of the SOD2 enzyme.
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Phillips JG, Ogeil RP, Müller F. Alcohol consumption and handwriting: A kinematic analysis. Hum Mov Sci 2009; 28:619-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2009.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Latvala A, Castaneda AE, Perälä J, Saarni SI, Aalto-Setälä T, Lönnqvist J, Kaprio J, Suvisaari J, Tuulio-Henriksson A. Cognitive functioning in substance abuse and dependence: a population-based study of young adults. Addiction 2009; 104:1558-68. [PMID: 19686526 DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02656.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To investigate whether substance use disorders (SUDs) are associated with verbal intellectual ability, psychomotor processing speed, verbal and visual working memory, executive function and verbal learning in young adults, and to study the associations of SUD characteristics with cognitive performance. PARTICIPANTS A population-based sample (n = 466) of young Finnish adults aged 21-35 years. MEASUREMENTS Diagnostic assessment was based on all available information from a structured psychiatric interview (SCID-I) and in- and out-patient medical records. Established neuropsychological tests were used in the cognitive assessment. Confounding factors included in the analyses were comorbid psychiatric disorders and risk factors for SUDs, representing behavioural and affective factors, parental factors, early initiation of substance use and education-related factors. FINDINGS Adjusted for age and gender, life-time DSM-IV SUD was associated with poorer verbal intellectual ability, as measured with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) vocabulary subtest, and slower psychomotor processing, as measured with the WAIS-R digit symbol subtest. Poorer verbal intellectual ability was accounted for by parental and own low basic education, whereas the association with slower psychomotor processing remained after adjustment for SUD risk factors. Poorer verbal intellectual ability was related to substance abuse rather than dependence. Other SUD characteristics were not associated with cognition. CONCLUSIONS Poorer verbal intellectual ability and less efficient psychomotor processing are associated with life-time alcohol and other substance use disorders in young adulthood. Poorer verbal intellectual ability seems to be related to parental and own low basic education, whereas slower psychomotor processing is associated with SUD independently of risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antti Latvala
- Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Mannerheimintie 166, FIN-00271 Helsinki, Finland.
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Oscar-Berman M, Valmas MM, Sawyer KS, Kirkley SM, Gansler DA, Merritt D, Couture A. Frontal brain dysfunction in alcoholism with and without antisocial personality disorder. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2009; 5:309-26. [PMID: 19557141 PMCID: PMC2699656 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s4882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2009] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcoholism and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) often are comorbid conditions. Alcoholics, as well as nonalcoholic individuals with ASPD, exhibit behaviors associated with prefrontal brain dysfunction such as increased impulsivity and emotional dysregulation. These behaviors can influence drinking motives and patterns of consumption. Because few studies have investigated the combined association between ASPD and alcoholism on neuropsychological functioning, this study examined the influence of ASPD symptoms and alcoholism on tests sensitive to frontal brain deficits. The participants were 345 men and women. Of them, 144 were abstinent alcoholics (66 with ASPD symptoms), and 201 were nonalcoholic control participants (24 with ASPD symptoms). Performances among the groups were examined with Trails A and B tests, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, the Ruff Figural Fluency Test, and Performance subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Measures of affect also were obtained. Multiple regression analyses showed that alcoholism, specific drinking variables (amount and duration of heavy drinking), and ASPD were significant predictors of frontal system and affective abnormalities. These effects were different for men and women. The findings suggested that the combination of alcoholism and ASPD leads to greater deficits than the sum of each.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Oscar-Berman
- Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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McQueeny T, Schweinsburg BC, Schweinsburg AD, Jacobus J, Bava S, Frank LR, Tapert SF. Altered white matter integrity in adolescent binge drinkers. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2009; 33:1278-85. [PMID: 19389185 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2009.00953.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND White matter integrity has been found to be compromised in adult alcoholics, but it is unclear when in the course of alcohol exposure white matter abnormalities become apparent. This study assessed microstructural white matter integrity among adolescent binge drinkers with no history of an alcohol use disorder. METHODS We used diffusion tensor imaging to examine fractional anisotropy (FA), a measure of directional coherence of white matter tracts, among teens with (n = 14) and without (n = 14) histories of binge drinking but no history of alcohol use disorder, matched on age, gender, and education. RESULTS Binge drinkers had lower FA than controls in 18 white matter areas (clusters > or =27 contiguous voxels, each with p < 0.01) throughout the brain, including the corpus callosum, superior longitudinal fasciculus, corona radiata, internal and external capsules, and commissural, limbic, brainstem, and cortical projection fibers, while exhibiting no areas of higher FA. Among binge drinkers, lower FA in 6 of these regions was linked to significantly greater lifetime hangover symptoms and/or higher estimated peak blood alcohol concentrations. CONCLUSIONS Binge drinking adolescents demonstrated widespread reductions of FA in major white matter pathways. Although preliminary, these results could indicate that infrequent exposure to large doses of alcohol during youth may compromise white matter fiber coherence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim McQueeny
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California, USA
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Durazzo TC, Rothlind JC, Gazdzinski S, Meyerhoff DJ. The relationships of sociodemographic factors, medical, psychiatric, and substance-misuse co-morbidities to neurocognition in short-term abstinent alcohol-dependent individuals. Alcohol 2008; 42:439-49. [PMID: 18760713 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2008.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2008] [Revised: 05/22/2008] [Accepted: 06/04/2008] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Co-morbidities that commonly accompany those afflicted with an alcohol use disorder (AUD) may promote variability in the pattern and magnitude of neurocognitive abnormalities demonstrated. The goal of this study was to investigate the influence of several common co-morbid medical conditions (primarily hypertension and hepatitis C), psychiatric (primarily unipolar mood and anxiety disorders), and substance use (primarily psychostimulant and cannabis) disorders, and chronic cigarette smoking on the neurocognitive functioning in short-term abstinent, treatment-seeking individuals with AUD. Seventy-five alcohol-dependent participants (ALC; 51+/-9 years of age; three females) completed comprehensive neurocognitive testing after approximately 1 month of abstinence. Multivariate multiple linear regression evaluated the relationships among neurocognitive variables and medical conditions, psychiatric, and substance-use disorders, controlling for sociodemographic factors. Sixty-four percent of ALC had at least one medical, psychiatric, or substance-abuse co-morbidity (excluding smoking). Smoking status (smoker or nonsmoker) and age were significant independent predictors of cognitive efficiency, general intelligence, postural stability, processing speed, and visuospatial memory after age-normed adjustment and control for estimated pre-morbid verbal intelligence, education, alcohol consumption, and medical, psychiatric, and substance-misuse co-morbidities. Results indicated that chronic smoking accounted for a significant portion of the variance in the neurocognitive performance of this middle-aged AUD cohort. The age-related findings for ALC suggest that alcohol dependence, per se, was associated with diminished neurocognitive functioning with increasing age. The study of participants who demonstrate common co-morbidities observed in AUD is necessary to fully understand how AUD, as a clinical syndrome, affects neurocognition, brain neurobiology, and their changes with extended abstinence.
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