Disrupted Dynamic Interactions Between Large-Scale Brain Networks in Cocaine Users Are Associated With Dependence...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Brain Imaging

Background:

• Substance use disorder is a neuropsychiatric disease involving disrupted brain network interactions.
• Temporal dynamics of brain networks may offer better insights into brain function and dysfunction than static connectivity.
• Investigating brain dynamics in cocaine use disorder (CUD) and their link to dependence severity is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate brain network dynamics in individuals with cocaine use disorder.
• To assess the relationship between these dynamics and the severity of cocaine dependence.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a time-frame analytical approach on resting-state fMRI data from 54 CUD patients and 54 controls.
• Identified recurring brain network configurations (brain states) and analyzed their occurrence and transition probabilities.
• Applied Menon's triple network model to characterize state dynamics and group differences.

Main Results:

• Identified three recurrent brain states mirroring default mode, salience, and executive control networks.
• Cocaine users exhibited higher default mode state occurrence and increased salience-to-default mode transitions.
• A composite state transition probability negatively correlated with cocaine dependence severity.

Conclusions:

• Findings support the triple network model in cocaine use disorder.
• Confirmed default mode network hyperactivity in CUD.
• Indicated impaired salience network function in toggling between default mode and executive control networks in CUD.