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Aberrance in default mode and executive network activity underlie working memory deficits in addictive disorders: A
Shaon Ghosh Dastidar1, Nishi Pegwal1, Yatan Pal Singh Balhara2
1Stress and Cognitive Electroimaging Laboratory, Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi-110029, India.
Psychiatry Research. Neuroimaging
|August 5, 2024
Summary
Addiction impairs working memory by preventing the brain from suppressing the Default Mode Network (DMN). This hinders neural resource reallocation to executive function areas, causing cognitive deficits in individuals with addictive disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Addiction significantly alters neural processes affecting both resting states and cognitive task performance.
- Individuals with addictive disorders display heightened preoccupation with substances during idle periods and exhibit cognitive deficits during tasks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the underlying cortical activity differences in individuals with addictive disorders compared to controls.
- To understand how addiction impacts brain function during rest and cognitive tasks, specifically working memory.
Main Methods:
- Electroencephalography (EEG) with 128 channels was used to record brain activity in 60 subjects (30 with addiction, 30 controls).
- Source analysis using sLORETA software was applied to artifactually clean EEG data recorded during rest and a working memory task.
Main Results:
- Subjects with addictive disorders showed increased Default Mode Network (DMN) activation and reduced dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activation during task performance.
- Control subjects exhibited decreased DMN activation and increased DLPFC activation during the working memory task.
Conclusions:
- The inability to suppress the DMN in individuals with addictive disorders impedes neural resource reallocation to executive function areas.
- This impaired neural function directly leads to working memory deficits observed in subjects with addictive disorders.
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