1
|
Narendra S, Klengel C, Hamzeh B, Patel D, Otten J, Lardenoije R, Newman EL, Miczek KA, Klengel T, Ressler KJ, Suh J. Genome-wide transcriptomics of the amygdala reveals similar oligodendrocyte-related responses to acute and chronic alcohol drinking in female mice. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:476. [PMID: 36371333 PMCID: PMC9653459 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02231-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Repeated excessive alcohol consumption is a risk factor for alcohol use disorder (AUD). Although AUD has been more common in men than women, women develop more severe behavioral and physical impairments. However, relatively few new therapeutics targeting development of AUD, particularly in women, have been validated. To gain a better understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying alcohol intake, we conducted a genome-wide RNA-sequencing analysis in female mice exposed to different modes (acute vs chronic) of ethanol drinking. We focused on transcriptional profiles in the amygdala including the central and basolateral subnuclei, brain areas previously implicated in alcohol drinking and seeking. Surprisingly, we found that both drinking modes triggered similar changes in gene expression and canonical pathways, including upregulation of ribosome-related/translational pathways and myelination pathways, and downregulation of chromatin binding and histone modification. In addition, analyses of hub genes and upstream regulatory pathways revealed that voluntary ethanol consumption affects epigenetic changes via histone deacetylation pathways, oligodendrocyte and myelin function, and the oligodendrocyte-related transcription factor, Sox17. Furthermore, a viral vector-assisted knockdown of Sox17 gene expression in the amygdala prevented a gradual increase in alcohol consumption during repeated accesses. Overall, these results suggest that the expression of oligodendrocyte-related genes in the amygdala is sensitive to voluntary alcohol drinking in female mice. These findings suggest potential molecular targets for future therapeutic approaches to prevent the development of AUD, due to repeated excessive alcohol consumption, particularly in women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sharvari Narendra
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
- Department of Bioinformatics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Claudia Klengel
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Bilal Hamzeh
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Drasti Patel
- Department of Bioinformatics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Joy Otten
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Roy Lardenoije
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Emily L Newman
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Klaus A Miczek
- Psychology and Neuroscience Departments, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Torsten Klengel
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA.
| | - Junghyup Suh
- Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Czarnecki D, Ziółkowski M, Chodkiewicz J, Długosz A, Feldheim J, Waszkiewicz N, Kułak-Bejda A, Gorzkiewicz M, Budzyński J, Junkiert-Czarnecka A, Siomek-Górecka A, Nicpoń K, Kawala-Sterniuk A, Ferri R, Pelc M, Walecki P, Laskowska E, Gorzelańczyk EJ. Initial Study on COMT and DRD2 Gene Polymorphisms as Well as the Influence of Temperament and Character Trait on the Severity of Alcohol Craving in Alcohol-Dependent Patients. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10245892. [PMID: 34945190 PMCID: PMC8704345 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10245892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The main aim of this work was to determine the impact of COMT and DRD2 gene polymorphisms together with temperament and character traits on alcohol craving severity alcohol-dependent persons. The sample comprised of 89 men and 16 women (aged 38±7). For the sake of psychological assessment various analytic methods have been applied like the Short Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire (SADD), Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) or Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) test. The SNP polymorphism of the analyzed genes was determined by Real Time PCR test. The results showed, that the COMT polymorphismmay have an indirected relationship with the intensity and changes in alcohol craving during abstinence. The DRD2 receptor gene polymorphisms are related with the intensity of alcohol craving. It seems that the character traits like “self-targeting”, including “self-acceptance”, are more closely related to the severity of alcohol craving and polymorphic changes in the DRD2 receptor than temperamental traits. Although this is a pilot study the obtained results appeared to be promising and clearly indicate the link betweengene polymorphisms alcohol craving and its severity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Damian Czarnecki
- Department of Preventive Nursing, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, ul. Ignacego Łukasiewicza 1, 85-821 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (M.Z.); (K.N.)
- Correspondence: (D.C.); (A.K.-S.)
| | - Marcin Ziółkowski
- Department of Preventive Nursing, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, ul. Ignacego Łukasiewicza 1, 85-821 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (M.Z.); (K.N.)
| | - Jan Chodkiewicz
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology, University of Lodz, ul. Smugowa 10/12, 91-433 Łódź, Poland;
| | - Anna Długosz
- Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, University of Science and Technology, ul. Seminaryjna 3, 85-326 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (A.D.); (J.F.)
| | - Joanna Feldheim
- Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, University of Science and Technology, ul. Seminaryjna 3, 85-326 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (A.D.); (J.F.)
| | - Napoleon Waszkiewicz
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Białystok, pl. Brodowicza 1, 16-070 Choroszcz, Poland; (N.W.); (A.K.-B.)
| | - Agnieszka Kułak-Bejda
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Białystok, pl. Brodowicza 1, 16-070 Choroszcz, Poland; (N.W.); (A.K.-B.)
| | - Marta Gorzkiewicz
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Justice, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, ul. Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie 9, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland;
| | - Jacek Budzyński
- Department of Vascular and Internal Diseases, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, ul. Ujejskiego 75, 85-168 Bydgoszcz, Poland;
| | - Anna Junkiert-Czarnecka
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, ul. Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie 9, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland;
| | - Agnieszka Siomek-Górecka
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, ul. Karłowicza 24, 85-092 Bydgoszcz, Poland;
| | - Krzysztof Nicpoń
- Department of Preventive Nursing, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, ul. Ignacego Łukasiewicza 1, 85-821 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (M.Z.); (K.N.)
| | - Aleksandra Kawala-Sterniuk
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Automatic Control and Informatics, Opole University of Technology, ul. Prószkowska 76, 45-758 Opole, Poland;
- Correspondence: (D.C.); (A.K.-S.)
| | - Raffaele Ferri
- Oasi Research Institute IRCCS, Via C. Ruggero, 73, 94018 Troina, Italy;
| | - Mariusz Pelc
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Automatic Control and Informatics, Opole University of Technology, ul. Prószkowska 76, 45-758 Opole, Poland;
- School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, University of Greenwich, London SE10 9LS, UK
| | - Piotr Walecki
- Department of Bioinformatics and Telemedicine, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, ul. Medyczna 7, 30-688 Krakow, Poland;
| | - Ewa Laskowska
- Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, ul. Jagiellońska 15, 85-067 Bydgoszcz, Poland;
| | - Edward Jacek Gorzelańczyk
- Department of Theoretical Basis of BioMedical Sciences and Medical Informatics, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, ul. Jagiellońska 15, 85-067 Bydgoszcz, Poland;
- Institute of Philosophy, Kazimierz Wielki University, ul. Ogińskiego 16, 85-092 Bydgoszcz, Poland
- Babinski Specialist Psychiatric Healthcare Center, Outpatient Addiction Treatment, ul. Aleksandrowska 159, 91-229 Łódź, Poland
- The Society for the Substitution Treatment of Addiction “Medically Assisted Recovery”, ul. Rzeźniackiego 1D, 85-791 Bydgoszcz, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Brain responsivity to emotional faces differs in men and women with and without a history of alcohol use disorder. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248831. [PMID: 34106934 PMCID: PMC8189468 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Inclusion of women in research on Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) has shown that gender differences contribute to unique profiles of cognitive, emotional, and neuropsychological dysfunction. We employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of abstinent individuals with a history of AUD (21 women [AUDw], 21 men [AUDm]) and demographically similar non-AUD control (NC) participants without AUD (21 women [NCw], 21 men [NCm]) to explore how gender and AUD interact to influence brain responses during emotional processing and memory. Participants completed a delayed match-to-sample emotional face memory fMRI task, and brain activation contrasts between a fixation stimulus and pictures of emotional face elicited a similar overall pattern of activation for all four groups. Significant Group by Gender interactions revealed two activation clusters. A cluster in an anterior portion of the middle and superior temporal gyrus, elicited lower activation to the fixation stimulus than to faces for the AUDw as compared to the NCw; that abnormality was more pronounced than the one observed for men. Another cluster in the medial portion of the superior frontal cortex elicited higher activation to the faces by AUDm than NCm, a difference that was more evident than the one observed for women. Together, these findings have added new evidence of AUD-related gender differences in neural responses to facial expressions of emotion.
Collapse
|
4
|
Sawyer KS, Adra N, Salz DM, Kemppainen MI, Ruiz SM, Harris GJ, Oscar-Berman M. Hippocampal subfield volumes in abstinent men and women with a history of alcohol use disorder. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0236641. [PMID: 32776986 PMCID: PMC7416961 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) has been associated with abnormalities in hippocampal volumes, but these relationships have not been fully explored with respect to sub-regional volumes, nor in association with individual characteristics such as age, gender differences, drinking history, and memory. The present study examined the impact of those variables in relation to hippocampal subfield volumes in abstinent men and women with a history of AUD. Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging at 3 Tesla, we obtained brain images from 67 participants with AUD (31 women) and 64 nonalcoholic control (NC) participants (31 women). The average duration of the most recent period of sobriety for AUD participants was 7.1 years. We used Freesurfer 6.0 to segment the hippocampus into 12 regions. These were imputed into statistical models to examine the relationships of brain volume with AUD group, age, gender, memory, and drinking history. Interactions with gender and age were of particular interest. Compared to the NC group, the AUD group had approximately 5% smaller subiculum, CA1, molecular layer, and hippocampal tail regions. Age was negatively associated with volumes for the AUD group in the subiculum and the hippocampal tail, but no significant interactions with gender were identified. The relationships for delayed and immediate memory with hippocampal tail volume differed for AUD and NC groups: Higher scores on tests of immediate and delayed memory were associated with smaller volumes in the AUD group, but larger volumes in the NC group. Length of sobriety was associated with decreasing CA1 volume in women (0.19% per year) and increasing volume size in men (0.38% per year). The course of abstinence on CA1 volume differed for men and women, and the differential relationships of subfield volumes to age and memory could indicate a distinction in the impact of AUD on functions of the hippocampal tail. These findings confirm and extend evidence that AUD, age, gender, memory, and abstinence differentially impact volumes of component parts of the hippocampus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kayle S. Sawyer
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Sawyer Scientific, LLC, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Noor Adra
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Daniel M. Salz
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Maaria I. Kemppainen
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Susan M. Ruiz
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Gordon J. Harris
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Marlene Oscar-Berman
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Maleki N, Tahaney K, Thompson BL, Oscar-Berman M. At the intersection of alcohol use disorder and chronic pain. Neuropsychology 2019; 33:795-807. [PMID: 31448947 PMCID: PMC6711399 DOI: 10.1037/neu0000558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and chronic pain are widespread conditions with extensive public health burden. This review seeks to describe neuroanatomical links and major mediating influences between AUD and chronic pain, in the service of identifying factors that predict the risk of chronic pain in precipitating or facilitating AUD. METHOD We review the neural bases of pain and the influence of AUD on processes involved in pain perception. We propose potential mechanisms involved in the development of chronic pain in AUD, and we consider implications for pain management in recovery from AUD. RESULTS Pain is a multidimensional and subjective experience that, in its acute form, is essential for survival, but in chronic form, pain is a disorder that negatively impacts quality of life. Neural substrates involved in initiating and maintaining chronic pain include dysfunction in descending pain pathways and reward network circuitry. AUD involves preoccupation or craving, intoxication, withdrawal, and negative affect. Neural substrates of AUD involve widespread mesocorticolimbic and cerebrocerebellar networks. Both conditions involve dysfunction of extended reward and oversight circuitry, particularly prefrontal cortex. CONCLUSIONS The interrelationship between chronic pain and AUD resides in the intersection of etiological influences, mental experiences, and neurobiological processes. Characterization of the connection between brain and behavioral abnormalities in AUD's precipitation of chronic pain-and vice versa-allows for early detection and treatment of patients at risk for developing either or both of these conditions and for preemptive interventional approaches to reduce the risk of consequent vulnerabilities and harm. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nasim Maleki
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kelli Tahaney
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin L. Thompson
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marlene Oscar-Berman
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, Boston School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Sawyer KS, Maleki N, Urban T, Marinkovic K, Karson S, Ruiz SM, Harris GJ, Oscar-Berman M. Alcoholism gender differences in brain responsivity to emotional stimuli. eLife 2019; 8:e41723. [PMID: 31038125 PMCID: PMC6491039 DOI: 10.7554/elife.41723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Men and women may use alcohol to regulate emotions differently, with corresponding differences in neural responses. We explored how the viewing of different types of emotionally salient stimuli impacted brain activity observed through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) from 42 long-term abstinent alcoholic (25 women) and 46 nonalcoholic (24 women) participants. Analyses revealed blunted brain responsivity in alcoholic compared to nonalcoholic groups, as well as gender differences in those activation patterns. Brain activation in alcoholic men (ALCM) was significantly lower than in nonalcoholic men (NCM) in regions including rostral middle and superior frontal cortex, precentral gyrus, and inferior parietal cortex, whereas activation was higher in alcoholic women (ALCW) than in nonalcoholic women (NCW) in superior frontal and supramarginal cortical regions. The reduced brain reactivity of ALCM, and increases for ALCW, highlighted divergent brain regions and gender effects, suggesting possible differences in the underlying basis for development of alcohol use disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kayle S Sawyer
- Psychology Research ServiceVA Healthcare SystemBostonUnited States
- Department of Anatomy and NeurobiologyBoston University School of MedicineBostonUnited States
- Department of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- Sawyer Scientific, LLCBostonUnited States
| | - Nasim Maleki
- Psychology Research ServiceVA Healthcare SystemBostonUnited States
- Department of PsychiatryMassachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
| | - Trinity Urban
- Department of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
| | - Ksenija Marinkovic
- Department of PsychologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoUnited States
| | - Steven Karson
- Department of Computer ScienceDartmouth CollegeHanoverUnited States
| | - Susan M Ruiz
- Department of Anatomy and NeurobiologyBoston University School of MedicineBostonUnited States
| | - Gordon J Harris
- Department of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- 3D Imaging ServiceMassachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
| | - Marlene Oscar-Berman
- Department of Anatomy and NeurobiologyBoston University School of MedicineBostonUnited States
- Department of PsychiatryBoston University School of MedicineBostonUnited States
- Department of NeurologyBoston University School of MedicineBostonUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sawyer KS, Maleki N, Papadimitriou G, Makris N, Oscar-Berman M, Harris GJ. Cerebral white matter sex dimorphism in alcoholism: a diffusion tensor imaging study. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:1876-1883. [PMID: 29795404 PMCID: PMC6046037 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0089-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with brain aberrations, including abnormalities in frontal and limbic brain regions. In a prior diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) study of neuronal circuitry connecting the frontal lobes and limbic system structures, we demonstrated decreases in white matter fractional anisotropy in abstinent alcoholic men. In the present study, we examined sex differences in alcoholism-related abnormalities of white matter connectivity and their association with alcoholism history. The dMRI scans were acquired from 49 abstinent alcoholic individuals (26 women) and 41 nonalcoholic controls (22 women). Tract-based spatial statistical tools were used to estimate regional FA of white matter tracts and to determine sex differences and their relation to measures of alcoholism history. Sex-related differences in white matter connectivity were observed in association with alcoholism: Compared to nonalcoholic men, alcoholic men had diminished FA in portions of the corpus callosum, the superior longitudinal fasciculi II and III, and the arcuate fasciculus and extreme capsule. In contrast, alcoholic women had higher FA in these regions. Sex differences also were observed for correlations between corpus callosum FA and length of sobriety. Our results suggest that sexual dimorphism in white matter microstructure in abstinent alcoholics may implicate underlying differences in the neurobehavioral liabilities for developing alcohol abuse disorders, or for sequelae following abuse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kayle S Sawyer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Sawyer Scientific, LLC, Boston, MA, 02120, USA.
| | - Nasim Maleki
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - George Papadimitriou
- Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Radiology, Center for Morphometric Analysis, and Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Nikos Makris
- Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Radiology, Center for Morphometric Analysis, and Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Marlene Oscar-Berman
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Gordon J Harris
- Radiology Computer Aided Diagnostics Laboratory, Center for Morphometric Analysis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Rivas-Grajales AM, Sawyer KS, Karmacharya S, Papadimitriou G, Camprodon JA, Harris GJ, Kubicki M, Oscar-Berman M, Makris N. Sexually dimorphic structural abnormalities in major connections of the medial forebrain bundle in alcoholism. Neuroimage Clin 2018; 19:98-105. [PMID: 30035007 PMCID: PMC6051309 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2017] [Revised: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Background The mesocorticolimbic system is particularly susceptible to the effects of chronic alcoholism. Disruption of this system has been linked to drug seeking and the development of Reward Deficiency Syndrome, a neurobiological framework for describing the development and relapsing patterns of addictions. In this study, we evaluated the association of alcoholism and sex with major connections of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB), a prominent mesocorticolimbic fiber pathway connecting the ventral tegmental area with the basal forebrain. Given sex differences in clinical consequences of alcohol consumption, we hypothesized that alcoholic men and women would differ in structural abnormalities of the MFB. Methods Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) data were acquired from 30 abstinent long-term alcoholic individuals (ALC; 9 men) and 25 non-alcoholic controls (NC; 8 men). Major connections of the MFB were extracted using multi-tensor tractography. We compared groups on MFB volume, fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD), with hemisphere and sex as independent variables. We also evaluated associations between abnormal structural measures and drinking measures. Results Analyses revealed significant group-by-sex interactions for FA and RD: while ALC men had lower FA and higher RD compared to NC men, ALC women had higher FA and lower RD compared to NC women. We also detected a significant negative association between FA and number of daily drinks in ALC women. Conclusion Alcoholism is associated with sexually dimorphic structural abnormalities in the MFB. The results expand upon other findings of differences in brain reward circuitry of alcoholic men and women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana María Rivas-Grajales
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kayle S Sawyer
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Sawyer Scientific, LLC, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarina Karmacharya
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - George Papadimitriou
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Center for Morphometric Analysis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joan A Camprodon
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Gordon J Harris
- Center for Morphometric Analysis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Radiology Computer Aided Diagnostics Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marek Kubicki
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Center for Morphometric Analysis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marlene Oscar-Berman
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nikos Makris
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Center for Morphometric Analysis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Mosher Ruiz S, Oscar-Berman M, Kemppainen MI, Valmas MM, Sawyer KS. Associations Between Personality and Drinking Motives Among Abstinent Adult Alcoholic Men and Women. Alcohol Alcohol 2018; 52:496-505. [PMID: 28379312 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agx016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims Men and women differ in personality characteristics and may be motivated to use alcohol for different reasons. The goals of the present study were to characterize personality and drinking motives by gender and alcoholism status in adults, and to determine how alcoholism history and gender are related to the associations between personality traits and drinking motivation. Methods Personality characteristics were assessed with the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, which includes Extraversion, Neuroticism, Psychoticism and Lie (Social Conforming) scales. To evaluate drinking motivation, we asked abstinent long-term alcoholic men and women, and demographically similar nonalcoholic participants to complete the Drinking Motives Questionnaire, which includes Conformity, Coping, Social and Enhancement scales. Results Patterns of personality scale scores and drinking motives differed by alcoholism status, with alcoholics showing higher psychopathology and stronger motives for drinking compared with controls. Divergent gender-specific relationships between personality and drinking motives also were identified, which differed for alcoholics and controls. Conclusion Alcoholic and control men and women differed with respect to the associations between personality traits and motives for drinking. A better understanding of how different personality traits affect drinking motivations for alcoholic men and women can inform individualized relapse prevention strategies. Short Summary Men and women differed in their personality traits and their motivations for drinking, and these relationships differed for abstinent alcoholic and control groups. Additionally, alcoholics scored higher on Neuroticism and Psychoticism personality traits, and had lower Enhancement and Social Conformity drinking motives than nonalcoholic controls.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susan Mosher Ruiz
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.,VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA
| | - Marlene Oscar-Berman
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.,VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA.,Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Maaria I Kemppainen
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.,VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA
| | - Mary M Valmas
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.,VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA
| | - Kayle S Sawyer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.,VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Holzhauer CG, Epstein EE, Hayaki J, Marinchak JS, McCrady BS, Cook SM. Moderators of sudden gains after sessions addressing emotion regulation among women in treatment for alcohol use. J Subst Abuse Treat 2017; 83:1-9. [PMID: 29129190 PMCID: PMC5728387 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2017.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Sudden gains (SGs) are defined as abrupt and significant improvements in mental health symptoms that occur between two psychotherapy sessions. Preliminary evidence suggests that SGs may be an important pattern of symptom reduction in the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD) (i.e., a steep between-session reduction in drinking or alcohol craving frequency or intensity) (Drapkin, Epstein, McCrady, & Eddie, 2015). The current study examined SGs within two randomized clinical trials (RCTs) testing female-specific cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) protocol for AUD (n=146). We tested a priori hypotheses about whether women's baseline depression, anxiety, and confidence to be abstinent while in a negative emotional state would predict attainment of SGs after attending sessions that addressed depression, anxiety, and emotion regulation (i.e., sessions five and six of the 12-session protocol). Data were collected at baseline, within treatment, and 15months after baseline. Results showed that women with high levels of depression and/or anxiety and low confidence to be abstinent in a negative emotional state at baseline were more likely to experience a SG (steep decrease in drinking) after sessions five and six (p=0.02). Further, among women with high levels of depression and/or anxiety at baseline, those who experienced both a SG in drinking after session five/six and had higher confidence to remain abstinent in a negative emotional state at the end of treatment reported lower drinking frequency at 9- but not 15-month follow-up [95% CI=(-2.65, -0.86)]. Findings support the value of providing interventions targeting mood and emotion regulation in AUD treatment for women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth E Epstein
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, 365 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers University, 607 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Jumi Hayaki
- College of the Holy Cross, 1 College Street, Worcester, MA 01610, USA
| | - James S Marinchak
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Newington Campus, 555 Willard Ave, Newington, CT 06111, USA
| | - Barbara S McCrady
- Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers University, 607 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions, University of New Mexico, 2650 Yale Blvd. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA
| | - Sharon M Cook
- Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers University, 607 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Sawyer KS, Oscar-Berman M, Barthelemy OJ, Papadimitriou GM, Harris GJ, Makris N. Gender dimorphism of brain reward system volumes in alcoholism. Psychiatry Res 2017; 263:15-25. [PMID: 28285206 PMCID: PMC5415444 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2017.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Revised: 03/01/2017] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The brain's reward network has been reported to be smaller in alcoholic men compared to nonalcoholic men, but little is known about the volumes of reward regions in alcoholic women. Morphometric analyses were performed on magnetic resonance brain scans of 60 long-term chronic alcoholics (ALC; 30 men) and 60 nonalcoholic controls (NC; 29 men). We derived volumes of total brain, and cortical and subcortical reward-related structures including the dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC), orbitofrontal, and cingulate cortices, and the temporal pole, insula, amygdala, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens septi (NAc), and ventral diencephalon (VDC). We examined the relationships of the volumetric findings to drinking history. Analyses revealed a significant gender interaction for the association between alcoholism and total reward network volumes, with ALC men having smaller reward volumes than NC men and ALC women having larger reward volumes than NC women. Analyses of a priori subregions revealed a similar pattern of reward volume differences with significant gender interactions for DLPFC and VDC. Overall, the volume of the cerebral ventricles in ALC participants was negatively associated with duration of abstinence, suggesting decline in atrophy with greater length of sobriety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kayle S Sawyer
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA; VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA.
| | - Marlene Oscar-Berman
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA; VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA; Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Olivier J Barthelemy
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - George M Papadimitriou
- Center for Morphometric Analysis, and Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Gordon J Harris
- Radiology Computer Aided Diagnostics Laboratory, and Center for Morphometric Analysis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Nikos Makris
- Center for Morphometric Analysis, and Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Holzhauer CG, Gamble SA. Depressive symptoms mediate the relationship between changes in emotion regulation during treatment and abstinence among women with alcohol use disorders. PSYCHOLOGY OF ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS 2017; 31:284-294. [PMID: 28368158 DOI: 10.1037/adb0000274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Women with alcohol use disorders (AUD) experience high rates of co-occurring conditions, such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can complicate treatment engagement and response. Therefore, identifying factors that underlie alcohol use, depression, and PTSD symptoms in women with AUD has important treatment implications. The current study investigated emotion regulation as one such underlying factor. We tested a model that examined the extent to which changes in emotion regulation during treatment predicted women's depression and PTSD symptom severity at treatment completion and subsequent alcohol use following treatment. The study included 48 participants enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of interpersonal psychotherapy versus usual care for women with co-occurring alcohol dependence and major depression. Assessments were conducted at baseline, posttreatment (16 weeks), and follow-up (24 weeks). Descriptive statistics of baseline data revealed heightened levels of emotion dysregulation in this sample, which were related to fewer days abstinent from alcohol, more negative consequences from alcohol, and greater PTSD symptom severity. Women's lower depressive symptoms at the end of treatment were found to mediate the relationship between improved emotion regulation during the treatment period and greater abstinence following treatment. Posttreatment PTSD symptoms, however, were not found to mediate that relationship. These results suggest that improvements in depressive symptoms during treatment are associated with emotion regulation at the end of treatment, which may contribute to greater abstinence from alcohol following treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record
Collapse
|
13
|
Sawyer KS, Oscar-Berman M, Ruiz SM, Gálvez DA, Makris N, Harris GJ, Valera EM. Associations Between Cerebellar Subregional Morphometry and Alcoholism History in Men and Women. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2016; 40:1262-72. [PMID: 27130832 PMCID: PMC4889497 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcoholism has been linked to deficits in cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functions, and the cerebellum is important for optimal functioning of these abilities. However, little is known about how individual differences such as gender and drinking history might influence regional cerebellar abnormalities. METHODS Volumetric analyses of the cerebellum and its subregions were performed in relation to the interaction of gender and measures of drinking history. Structural magnetic resonance imaging scans of 44 alcoholic individuals (23 men) and 39 nonalcoholic controls (18 men) were obtained. In addition to measuring total cerebellar gray and white matter volumes, we measured 64 individual cerebellar parcellation units, as well as functionally defined a priori regions of interest that have been shown to correspond to functions impaired in alcoholism. RESULTS Total cerebellar white matter volume was smaller in alcoholic relative to nonalcoholic participants. Moreover, volumes of parcellation units varied with drinking history, showing negative associations between years of heavy drinking and the anterior lobe, the vestibulocerebellar lobe, and the spinocerebellar subdivision. The negative association between anterior volume and years of heavy drinking was driven primarily by alcoholic men. Additionally, we observed larger white and gray matter volumes for alcoholic women than for alcoholic men. CONCLUSIONS The identification of drinking-related abnormalities in cerebellar subregions lays a foundation that can be utilized to inform how cerebro-cerebellar networks are perturbed in this pathological condition. These results also provide estimates of how gender and individual differences in drinking history can predict cerebellar volumes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kayle S. Sawyer
- Ph.D. Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Graduate Medical Sciences, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Marlene Oscar-Berman
- Ph.D. Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Graduate Medical Sciences, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118
| | - Susan Mosher Ruiz
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118
| | - Daniel A. Gálvez
- College of Arts and Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215
| | - Nikos Makris
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Center for Morphometric Analysis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Gordon J. Harris
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Radiology Computer Aided Diagnostics Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Harvard Medical School Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Eve M. Valera
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Harvard Medical School Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Valmas MM, Mosher Ruiz S, Gansler DA, Sawyer KS, Oscar-Berman M. Social cognition deficits and associations with drinking history in alcoholic men and women. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2015; 38:2998-3007. [PMID: 25581654 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2013] [Accepted: 09/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have demonstrated the presence of a social cognition factor as an element of general cognition in healthy control and clinical populations. Recently developed measures of social cognition include the social perception and faces subtests of the Wechsler Advanced Clinical Solutions (ACS) Social Cognition module. While these measures have been validated on various clinical samples, they have not been studied in alcoholics. Alcoholism has been associated with emotional abnormalities and diminished social cognitive functioning as well as neuropathology of brain areas underlying social processing abilities. We used the ACS Social Perception and Faces subtests to assess alcoholism-related impairments in social cognition. METHODS Social cognitive functioning was assessed in 77 abstinent alcoholic individuals (37 women) and 59 nonalcoholic control participants (29 women), using measures of the ACS Social Cognition module and subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) that contain a social cognition component (Picture Completion and Comprehension). Group and gender differences in ACS and WAIS-IV performance were assessed, as well as relationships between measures of alcoholism severity and social cognitive functioning. RESULTS Alcoholics performed significantly worse than nonalcoholics on the ACS measures of Affect Naming and Faces Content. Alcoholic men were impaired relative to alcoholic women on Prosody Face Matching and Faces Content scores. Among alcoholics, longer durations of heavy drinking were associated with poorer performance on Affect Naming, and a greater number of daily drinks were associated with lower Prosody Face Matching performance. For alcoholic women, a longer duration of abstinence was associated with better performance on Affect Naming. CONCLUSIONS Alcoholic men and women showed different patterns of associations between alcoholism indices and clinically validated social cognition assessments. These findings extend into the social cognition domain, previous literature demonstrating the presence of cognitive deficits in alcoholism, their association with alcoholism severity, and variability by gender. Moreover, because impairments in social cognition can persist despite extended abstinence, they have important implications for relapse prevention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mary M Valmas
- Psychology Research Service , VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychology , Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology , Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Sawyer KS, Poey A, Ruiz SM, Marinkovic K, Oscar-Berman M. Measures of skin conductance and heart rate in alcoholic men and women during memory performance. PeerJ 2015; 3:e941. [PMID: 26020002 PMCID: PMC4435500 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2014] [Accepted: 04/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined abnormalities in physiological responses to emotional stimuli associated with long-term chronic alcoholism. Skin conductance responses (SCR) and heart rate (HR) responses were measured in 32 abstinent alcoholic (ALC) and 30 healthy nonalcoholic (NC) men and women undergoing an emotional memory task in an MRI scanner. The task required participants to remember the identity of two emotionally-valenced faces presented at the onset of each trial during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning. After viewing the faces, participants saw a distractor image (an alcoholic beverage, nonalcoholic beverage, or scrambled image) followed by a single probe face. The task was to decide whether the probe face matched one of the two encoded faces. Skin conductance measurements (before and after the encoded faces, distractor, and probe) were obtained from electrodes on the index and middle fingers on the left hand. HR measurements (beats per minute before and after the encoded faces, distractor, and probe) were obtained by a pulse oximeter placed on the little finger on the left hand. We expected that, relative to NC participants, the ALC participants would show reduced SCR and HR responses to the face stimuli, and that we would identify greater reactivity to the alcoholic beverage stimuli than to the distractor stimuli unrelated to alcohol. While the beverage type did not differentiate the groups, the ALC group did have reduced skin conductance and HR responses to elements of the task, as compared to the NC group.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kayle S. Sawyer
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alan Poey
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Susan Mosher Ruiz
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ksenija Marinkovic
- University of California at San Diego, CA, USA
- Psychology Department, San Diego State University, CA, USA
| | - Marlene Oscar-Berman
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|