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Neural substrates of substance use disorders
1Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.
Current Opinion in Neurology
|July 20, 2022
Summary
Neuroimaging reveals brain imbalances in substance use disorders, specifically in executive control and salience processing. Further research with larger groups is needed to understand these brain-behavior relationships.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Substance use disorders (SUDs) represent a significant societal burden.
- Understanding the neural basis of SUDs is crucial for developing effective treatments.
- Neuroimaging offers insights into brain alterations associated with SUDs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent neuroimaging findings in individuals with substance use disorders.
- To summarize the current understanding of the brain basis of SUDs.
Main Methods:
- Review of resting-state functional connectivity studies.
- Analysis of structural neuroimaging findings.
- Examination of longitudinal and meta-analysis studies.
Main Results:
- Functional connectivity disruptions are observed for various substances, impacting executive control.
- Structural neuroimaging indicates reduced subcortical volumes, potentially influenced by pre-existing factors and substance use.
- Meta-analyses suggest dysregulation in cortical control over subcortical salience processing.
Conclusions:
- Evidence points to an imbalance between brain structures involved in executive control and salience processing in SUDs.
- Small brain-behavior relationships necessitate larger, prospective studies for deeper understanding.
- Further research is required to elucidate the neural processes underlying SUDs.
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