Modeling Causal Relationship between Brain Regions Within the Drug-Cue Processing Network in Chronic Cocaine Smokers
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-2015
Abstract
The cues associated with drugs of abuse have an essential role in perpetuating problematic use, yet effective connectivity or the causal interaction between brain regions mediating the processing of drug cues has not been defined. The aim of this fMRI study was to model the causal interaction between brain regions within the drug-cue processing network in chronic cocaine smokers and matched control participants during a cocaine-cue exposure task. Specifically, cocaine-smoking (15M; 5F) and healthy control (13M; 4F) participants viewed cocaine and neutral cues while in the scanner (a Siemens 3 T magnet). We examined whole brain activation, including activation related to drug-cue processing. Time series data extracted from ROIs determined through our General Linear Model (GLM) analysis and prior publications were used as input to IMaGES, a computationally powerful Bayesian search algorithm. During cocaine-cue exposure, cocaine users showed a particular feed-forward effective connectivity pattern between the ROIs of the drug-cue processing network (amygdalahippocampus dorsal striatum insula medial frontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex) that was not present when the controls viewed the cocaine cues. Cocaine craving ratings positively correlated with the strength of the causal influence of the insula on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in cocaine users. This study is the first demonstration of a causal interaction between ROIs within the drug-cue processing network in cocaine users. This study provides insight into the mechanism underlying continued substance use and has implications for monitoring treatment response.
Identifier
84947026954 (Scopus)
Publication Title
Neuropsychopharmacology
External Full Text Location
https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2015.150
e-ISSN
1740634X
ISSN
0893133X
PubMed ID
26038158
First Page
2960
Last Page
2968
Issue
13
Volume
40
Grant
K01DA029047
Fund Ref
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Recommended Citation
Ray, Suchismita; Haney, Margaret; Hanson, Catherine; Biswal, Bharat; and Hanson, Stephen José, "Modeling Causal Relationship between Brain Regions Within the Drug-Cue Processing Network in Chronic Cocaine Smokers" (2015). Faculty Publications. 6662.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/fac_pubs/6662
