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Published on: August 6, 2013
Gray-matter volume in methamphetamine dependence: cigarette smoking and changes with abstinence from methamphetamine
Angelica M Morales1, Buyean Lee, Gerhard Hellemann
1Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
|March 27, 2012
Summary
Methamphetamine use is linked to gray matter brain deficits, but some effects may stem from smoking. Abstinence from methamphetamine showed partial gray matter recovery in certain brain regions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Addiction Research
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Previous studies show inconsistent brain structure differences in methamphetamine users.
- The impact of concurrent cigarette smoking on brain structure in methamphetamine users is unclear.
- Changes in brain structure during methamphetamine abstinence are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gray matter differences in methamphetamine-dependent smokers compared to controls.
- To differentiate the effects of methamphetamine abuse from cigarette smoking on brain structure.
- To examine gray matter changes during early abstinence from methamphetamine.
Main Methods:
- Voxel-based morphometry was used to measure gray matter volume.
- Three groups were studied: control nonsmokers, control smokers, and methamphetamine-dependent smokers.
- Longitudinal scans assessed gray matter changes over one month of abstinence.
Main Results:
- Control smokers and methamphetamine-dependent smokers showed reduced gray matter in the orbitofrontal cortex and caudate nucleus compared to control nonsmokers.
- Methamphetamine-dependent smokers exhibited further gray matter reductions in frontal, parietal, temporal cortices, and insula.
- Gray matter increased in cortical regions and decreased in the cerebellum during methamphetamine abstinence.
Conclusions:
- Gray matter deficits in the orbitofrontal cortex and caudate may be linked to smoking or pre-morbid factors.
- Observed increases in gray matter during abstinence suggest partial reversibility of methamphetamine-induced deficits.
- Findings highlight the complex interplay of methamphetamine, smoking, and brain structure.
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