Morphometric similarity deviations in stimulant use disorder point towards abnormal brain ageing

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Addiction Research
• Brain Imaging

Background:

• Chronic drug use adversely affects aging, impacting health and quality of life.
• Biomarkers for accelerated brain aging in stimulant use disorder are poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate biomarkers of abnormal brain aging in stimulant use disorder using morphometric similarity network mapping.
• To compare brain morphometric similarity and neuropsychological function between stimulant users and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Utilized morphometric similarity network mapping, a novel structural connectomics approach.
• Mapped cross-sectional morphometric similarity trajectories in a normative aging sample (n=665).
• Compared morphometric similarity and neuropsychological function in patients with stimulant use disorder (n=183) and healthy controls (n=148).

Main Results:

• Identified significantly altered mean regional morphometric similarity in 43 cortical regions, including frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital areas.
• Observed deviations from normative aging trajectories in stimulant use disorder patients, suggesting abnormal brain aging.
• Found deficits in paired associates learning, consistent with neuropathology linked to both aging and stimulant use disorder.

Conclusions:

• Morphometric similarity mapping shows promise as a biomarker for brain aging in health and disease.
• This method may complement existing neuropsychological markers for age-related cognitive decline.
• Further research into neuropathological aging mechanisms in stimulant use disorder is crucial for developing age-appropriate treatments.