Gray-matter structure in long-term abstinent methamphetamine users
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Open Access
Gray-matter structure in long-term abstinent methamphetamine users Lili Nie1, Zeyong Zhao2, Xiantao Wen3, Wei Luo4, Tao Ju5, Anlian Ren3, Binbin Wu5 and Jing Li1*
Abstract Background: Previous studies of brain structure in methamphetamine users have yielded inconsistent findings, possibly reflecting small sample size and inconsistencies in duration of methamphetamine abstinence as well as sampling and analyses methods. Here we report on a relatively large sample of abstinent methamphetamine users at various stages of long-term abstinence. Methods: Chronic methamphetamine users (n = 99), abstinent from the drug ranging from 12 to 621 days, and healthy controls (n = 86) received T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging brain scans. Subcortical and cortical gray-matter volumes and cortical thickness were measured and the effects of group, duration of abstinence, duration of methamphetamine use and onset age of methamphetamine use were investigated using the Freesurfer software package. Results: Methamphetamine users did not differ from controls in gray-matter volumes, except for a cluster in the right lateral occipital cortex where gray-matter volume was smaller, and for regions mainly in the bilateral superior frontal gyrui where thickness was greater. Duration of abstinence correlated positively with gray-matter volumes in whole brain, bilateral accumbens nuclei and insulae clusters, and right hippocampus; and with thickness in a right insula cluster. Duration of methamphetamine use correlated negatively with gray-matter volume and cortical thickness of a cluster in the right lingual and pericalcarine cortex. Conclusions: Chronic methamphetamine use induces hard-to-recover cortical thickening in bilateral superior frontal gyri and recoverable volumetric reduction in right hippocampus, bilateral accumbens nuclei and bilateral cortical regions around insulae. These alternations might contribute to methamphetamine-induced neurocognitive disfunctions and reflect a regional specific response of the brain to methamphetamine. Keywords: Methamphetamine, Abstinence, Magnet resonance imaging, Gray-matter, Volume, Thickness
Background Amphetamine-type stimulants contribute substantially to the global burden of disease from drugs of abuse, ranking second only to opioids in this regard [1]. Among them, methamphetamine is the most widely used [1], and acts in part through promoting release of dopamine and serotonin [2]. Administration of methamphetamine produces long-term damage to dopaminergic and * Correspondence: [email protected]; [email protected] 1 Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
serotonergic neurons [2, 3], which project from their cell bodies to remote targets [4], such as the striatum, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex [5], where chronic methamphetamine exposure and subsequently abstinence would be expected to produce structural changes. T1weighted ma
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