Neurobiological Correlates of Learning and Decision-making in Alcohol Dependence

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S11-S11
Author(s):  
M. Sebold ◽  
S. Nebe ◽  
M. Garbusow ◽  
D. Schad ◽  
C. Sommer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reinforcement Learning ◽  
Alcohol Dependence ◽  
Dopaminergic System ◽  
Cue Reactivity ◽  
Reward Processing ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Learning Mechanisms ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Alcohol Dependent

The mesolimbic dopaminergic system has been implicated in two kinds of reward processing, one in reinforcement learning (e.g prediction error) and another in incentive salience attribution (e.g. cue-reactivity). Both functions have been implicated in alcohol dependence with the former contributing to the persistence of chronic alcohol intake despite severe negative consequences and the latter playing a crucial role in cue-induced craving and relapse. The bicentric study “Learning in alcohol dependence (LeAD)” aims to bridge a gap between these processes by investigating reinforcement learning mechanisms and the influence that Pavlovian cues exert over behavior. We here demonstrate that alcohol dependent subjects show alterations in goal-directed, model-based reinforcement learning (Sebold et al., 2014) and demonstrate that prospective relapsing patients show reductions in the medial prefrontal cortex activation during goal-directed control. Moreover we show that in alcohol dependent patients compared to healthy controls, Pavlovian cues exert pronounced control over behavior (Garbusow et al., 2016). Again, prospective relapsing patients showed increased Nucleus accumbens activation during these cue-induced responses. These findings point to an important role of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system as a predictor of treatment outcome in alcohol dependence.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Relationship between severity of tobacco dependence and personality traits, insomnia and impulsivity in male and female individuals entering alcohol treatment

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S322-S323
Author(s):  
A. Wnorowska ◽  
P. Serafin ◽  
A. Topolewska-Wochowska ◽  
A. Klimkiewicz ◽  
A. Jakubczyk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Addiction Treatment ◽  
Tobacco Dependence ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
High Severity ◽  
Neo Five Factor Inventory ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Alcohol Dependent

IntroductionTobacco dependence (TD) often coexists with alcohol dependence. Previous research documented that both biological and environmental factors influence simultaneous development of the two disorders. However, it has not been determined whether the same psychological and psychopathological factors affect TD in alcohol-dependent males and females.AimThe objective of the study was to assess risk factors for high severity of TD in alcohol-dependent individuals considering gender differences.MethodsThe study entailed two groups: male (n = 284) and female (n = 102) subjects entering alcohol addiction treatment programs in Warsaw, Poland. Standardized instruments were used to assess: severity of TD – Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, personality traits – NEO-Five Factor Inventory to assess, consequences of drinking – Short Inventory of Problems, impulsivity – Barratt Impulsivity Scale, and Sleep Disorder Questionnaire-7 as a measure of insomnia.ResultsIn the studied sample, current smokers comprised 79.1% (n = 225) of male and 79.4% (n = 81) of female participants. Multivariate regression model showed that high negative consequences of drinking (P = 0.001) and low NEO Openness score (P = 0.009) were associated with high risk of TD in female alcoholics (corr. R2 = 0.223; P < 0.0005). Bivariate analyses showed that TD was associated with impulsivity, openness, agreeableness and neuroticism in male alcohol-dependent subjects. Insomnia was the only significant predictor for high severity of TD in the males (corr. R2 = 0.068; P = 0.002).ConclusionsDifferent factors contribute to severity of tobacco dependence in male and female alcohol-dependent individuals entering addiction treatment.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The Role of Brief Motivational Intervention on Self-Efficacy and Abstinence in a Cohort of Patients with Alcohol Dependence

2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Romo ◽  
Yann Le Strat ◽  
Caroline Aubry ◽  
Sonia Marquez ◽  
Karine Houdeyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Dependence ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Heavy Drinking ◽  
Motivational Intervention ◽  
Prognosis Factor ◽  
Brief Motivational Intervention ◽  
Motivational Interventions ◽  
Alcohol Dependent

Objectives: Brief interventions are effective in reducing heavy drinking in the general population but few studies examined whether it is also effective in alcohol dependent patients, and whether brief intervention increases self-efficacy. Method: One hundred and seven patients with alcohol-dependence were randomized in a controlled trial examining the efficacy of a brief motivational intervention on both self-efficacy level and days of abstinence. Results: We found that brief motivational interventions had no effect on days of abstinence, nor on self-efficacy, but that high self-efficacy was consistently correlated with a longer period of abstinence, at all assessment-points. Conclusion: Self-efficacy appears to be a crucial prognosis factor, and is not influenced by brief motivational interventions. Other types of specific psychotherapy, probably more intensive, may be more efficient in alcohol-dependent patients than motivational interventions.

scholarly journals Decision making: effects of methylphenidate on temporal discounting in nonhuman primates

2015 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail Z. Rajala ◽  
Rick L. Jenison ◽  
Luis C. Populin
Keyword(s):  
Intertemporal Choice ◽  
Dopaminergic System ◽  
Temporal Discounting ◽  
Primary Treatment ◽  
Reward Processing ◽  
Low Doses ◽  
Impulsive Behavior ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Delayed Reward

Decisions are often made based on which option will result in the largest reward. When given a choice between a smaller but immediate reward and a larger delayed reward, however, humans and animals often choose the smaller, an effect known as temporal discounting. Dopamine (DA) neurotransmission is central to reward processing and encodes delayed reward value. Impulsivity, the tendency to act without forethought, is associated with excessive discounting of rewards, which has been documented in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Both impulsivity and temporal discounting are linked to the dopaminergic system. Methylphenidate (MPH), which blocks the DA transporter and increases extracellular levels of DA in the basal ganglia and prefrontal cortex, is a primary treatment for ADHD and, at low doses, ameliorates impulsivity in both humans and animals. This study tested the hypothesis that low doses of MPH would decrease the discounting rate of rhesus monkeys performing an intertemporal choice task, suggesting a reduction in impulsivity. The results support this hypothesis and provide further evidence for the role of DA in temporal discounting and impulsive behavior.

Temperament and resilience of children of alcohol dependent individuals

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S360-S361
Author(s):  
C. Thanikachalam ◽  
A. Dhandapani ◽  
S. Choudhury ◽  
A. Sankaran ◽  
E. Subramaniam
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Dependence ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Alcohol Problems ◽  
Parent Child Relationship ◽  
Tertiary Care Centre ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Alcohol Dependent

IntroductionChildren of alcohol dependent individuals are affected by disturbed parent-child relationship and exhibit externalizing symptoms, arrhythmicity, negative mood and low persistence.ObjectivesTo assess the temperament and resilience of children of alcohol dependent individuals and to study their relationship with the father's severity and problems of alcohol intake.AimsTo assess the psychological profile of children of alcohol dependent individuals.MethodsCross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary care centre from January to August 2015. Severity of alcohol dependence in father and problems related to it was assessed using ‘short alcohol dependence data’ and ‘alcohol problems questionnaire’; the temperament and resilience of their children (n = 31) was assessed using ‘temperament measurement schedule’ and ‘strengths and difficulties questionnaire’ respectively.ResultsThe sample comprised of 48% boys and 52% girls with mean age (SD) of 9.32 (3.02) years. Eighty-one percent belonged to lower socioeconomic status. Their fathers’ mean age (SD) was 37.13(4.9) years and duration of alcohol dependence being 16.32 (5.7) years, average use/day being 19.19 (14.9) units with moderate (45.2%) to high (41.9%) dependence. Significant association was observed between severity of alcohol dependence and temperamental domain-threshold of responsiveness (χ2 = 17.272, P value = 0.002) (Fig. 1). The average units of alcohol consumed/day were a significant predictor for the presence of emotional problems in the child (OR = 30.12; 95%CI 1.33–677.86).ConclusionThere's a significant association between father's alcohol use and child's psychopathology which indicates the need for preventive and curative mental health measures.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Minding the brain: the role of pharmacotherapy in substance-use disorder treatment

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-297 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Addiction Treatment ◽  
Cue Reactivity ◽  
Disease Model ◽  
Reward Processing ◽  
Current Thinking ◽  
Disorder Treatment ◽  
Biomedical Treatment ◽  
The Brain

With its medicalization as a brain-based disease, addiction has come to be regarded as amenable to biomedical treatment approaches, most commonly pharmacotherapy. Various vulnerabilities are recognized to contribute to maladaptive substance use, and have been linked to diverse neurobiological alterations that may be targeted with pharmacotherapy: withdrawal, craving and cue reactivity, and aberrant reward processing are the most significant. Here, we summarize current thinking regarding pharmacotherapy for substance-use disorders, grouping medications by the type of vulnerability they propose to address and providing insight into their neurobiological mechanisms. We also examine the limitations of the brain-based disease model in addiction treatment, especially as these shortcomings pertain to the place of pharmacotherapy in recovery. We conclude by sketching a framework whereby medications might be integrated fruitfully with other interventions, such as behavioral, existential, or peer-based treatments, targeting aspects of addiction beyond neurobiological deficits.

Role of Serotonin and Serotonin-Selective Pharmacotherapy in Alcohol Dependence

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 33-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen M. Pettinati ◽  
David Oslin ◽  
Kelly Decker
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Dependence ◽  
Treatment Seeking ◽  
Prescribing Practices ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Social Drinkers ◽  
Clinical Presentations ◽  
Patient Groups ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Alcohol Dependent

AbstractThe majority of studies that have examined the usefulness of pharmacotherapies selective for serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) as a treatment for alcohol dependence have been standard, double-blind clinical trials that include patients with a variety of clinical presentations. Almost all of the early studies evaluated heavy social drinkers and found only a modest advantage for 5-HT pharmacotherapies in reducing the number of drinks per day. Also, the advantage of these pharmacotherapies was observed primarily when these agents were given at higher daily dosages than suggested prescribing practices for use as an antidepressant. The few studies that evaluated treatment-seeking patients found that 5-HT pharmacotherapies were not instrumental in reducing drinking rates compared with placebo. These results led to a dampening of enthusiasm for use of these agents in treating alcohol dependence. However, more recent investigations have begun to target subgroups with potential abnormalities in 5-HT neurotransmission. The thinking is that these medications should be most useful in alcohol-dependent individuals who have more clearly delineated suggestive signs of 5-HT dysfunction, such as concomitant depression or anxiety. Although few results are available to date, there is growing evidence to suggest that alcohol-dependent subgroups are differentially responsive to 5-HT pharmacotherapies with respect to drinking-related outcomes. This may explain the modest and variable 5-HT pharmacotherapeutic effects that were reported in the earlier studies, which included large heterogeneous patient groups. Further investigations are needed to confirm these initial optimistic results.

Neurobiological Mechanisms of Problem Gambling and Treatment

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S26-S26
Author(s):  
A. Goudriaan ◽  
R. van Holst ◽  
T. van Timmeren
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Pathological Gambling ◽  
Cue Reactivity ◽  
Addictive Disorders ◽  
Dsm 5 ◽  
The Past ◽  
Neurobiological Research ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
And Personalized Medicine

Background and aimsIn the past decade, neurobiological research on pathological gambling has flourished. Based on neurobiological similarities between pathological gambling and substance use disorders and similarities in genetics, diagnostic criteria, and effective treatments, pathological gambling was the first behavioral addiction to be included in the DSM-5 within the revised category Substance-related and addictive disorders.In this presentation novel findings from gambling research in our research group focusing on the role of impulsivity, anticipation towards monetary outcomes, and the interaction between stress and cue reactivity will be presented, with a focus on new functional MRI results. An overview will be given on the concepts of impulsivity and compulsivity in pathological gambling and relevant neurocognitive and neuroimaging findings. Implications of neurobiological research for novel intervention research, such as in neuromodulation studies and personalized medicine will be highlighted.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Leptin and ghrelin levels in alcohol-dependent patients and their relationship with withdrawal and craving

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S392-S392
Author(s):  
S. Mehta ◽  
A. Baruah ◽  
D. Chetia ◽  
S. Das ◽  
P. Avinash
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Dependence ◽  
Drug Dependence ◽  
Alcohol Withdrawal ◽  
Plasma Levels ◽  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Stress Hormone ◽  
Alcohol Craving ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Alcohol Dependent

IntroductionAssociation between leptin and ghrelin plasma levels and alcohol craving have been found in few studies but they have failed to differentiate this correlation with alcohol withdrawal state.ObjectivesTo research this correlation in a different population and to study this correlation with respect to hyper-excitable state of alcohol withdrawal.AimTo study levels of leptin and ghrelin in relation with alcohol withdrawal and craving.MethodsTwenty-five indoor patients fulfilling the alcohol dependence criteria were assessed for alcohol withdrawal symptoms and craving. Leptin and ghrelin levels were measured on 1st day, @ the end of 1st week, @ the end of 3rd week of stopping alcohol. Withdrawal was assessed using CIWA-A at day 1 and day 7, craving was assessed using PENN's scale of craving at the end of week 1 and week 3. Control group consisted of 15 first-degree relatives not taking alcohol.ResultsIt was found that leptin [t (38) = 2.95, P = 0.005] and ghrelin [t (38) = 2.56, P = 0.015] were significantly higher in alcohol-dependent patients. Levels of hormones had no significant correlation with alcohol withdrawal scores but had positive correlation with craving scores after abstinence.ConclusionsLeptin and ghrelin, known for balancing the energy homeostasis of body, also seem to play a role in pathways of drug dependence and craving. This relation is independent of stress hormone axis as leptin and ghrelin levels are not correlated with withdrawal scores, which is an indicator of stress hormone axis activation during alcohol withdrawal.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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