scholarly journals Noradrenergic correlates of chronic cocaine craving: neuromelanin and functional brain imaging

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wuyi Wang ◽  
Simon Zhornitsky ◽  
Sheng Zhang ◽  
Chiang-shan R. Li
Keyword(s):  
Functional Brain Imaging ◽  
Cocaine Exposure ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Motivated Behavior ◽  
Chronic Cocaine ◽  
Cocaine Craving ◽  
Lc Circuit ◽  
Psychophysiological Interaction ◽  
Subcortical Regions

AbstractPreclinical studies have implicated noradrenergic (NA) dysfunction in cocaine addiction. In particular, the NA system plays a central role in motivated behavior and may partake in the regulation of craving and drug use. Yet, human studies of the NA system are scarce, likely hampered by the difficulty in precisely localizing the locus coeruleus (LC). Here, we used neuromelanin imaging to localize the LC and quantified LC neuromelanin signal (NMS) intensity in 44 current cocaine users (CU; 37 men) and 59 nondrug users (NU; 44 men). We also employed fMRI to investigate cue-induced regional responses and LC functional connectivities, as quantified by generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI), in CU. Imaging data were processed by published routines and the findings were evaluated with a corrected threshold. We examined how these neural measures were associated with chronic cocaine craving, as assessed by the Cocaine Craving Questionnaire (CCQ). Compared to NU, CU demonstrated higher LC NMS for all probabilistic thresholds defined of 50–90% of the peak. In contrast, NMS of the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra (VTA/SN) did not show significant group differences. Drug as compared to neutral cues elicited higher activations of many cortical and subcortical regions, none of which were significantly correlated with CCQ score. Drug vs. neutral cues also elicited “deactivation” of bilateral parahippocampal gyri (PHG) and PHG gPPI with a wide array of cortical and subcortical regions, including the ventral striatum and, with small volume correction, the LC. Less deactivation of the PHG (r = 0.40, p = 0.008) and higher PHG-LC gPPI (r = 0.44, p = 0.003) were positively correlated with the CCQ score. In contrast, PHG-VTA/SN connectivity did not correlate with the CCQ score. Together, chronic cocaine exposure may induce higher NMS intensity, suggesting neurotoxic effects on the LC. The correlation of cue-elicited PHG LC connectivity with CCQ score suggests a noradrenergic correlate of chronic cocaine craving. Potentially compensating for memory functions as in neurodegenerative conditions, cue-elicited PHG LC circuit connectivity plays an ill-adaptive role in supporting cocaine craving.

Cocaine and the porcine coronary microcirculation: Effects of chronic cocaine exposure and hypercholesterolemia

1995 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 290-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Y. Wang ◽  
Boris D. Nunez ◽  
James P. Morgan ◽  
Hai Bin Dai ◽  
James N. Ross ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coronary Microcirculation ◽  
Cocaine Exposure ◽  
Chronic Cocaine

Psychological Perspectives on Taste

Psychology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily E. Perszyk ◽  
Bob Stewart ◽  
Haley R. Roland
Keyword(s):  
Sensory Modality ◽  
Taste Receptor ◽  
Functional Brain Imaging ◽  
Taste Perception ◽  
Chemical Components ◽  
Neural Pathways ◽  
Gustatory System ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Receptor Cells ◽  
Taste Receptor Cells

The word taste commonly evokes the experience of a robust California red wine, a perfectly seasoned and roasted duck breast, or a decadent Belgian chocolate. In fact, the perceptual experience that accompanies ingestion of food is most correctly termed flavor. Flavor comprises combined elements of olfactory (i.e., retronasal odor), somatosensory (e.g., texture and temperature), and gustatory sensations that attend ingestion. In contrast, taste refers exclusively to the perceptions and behaviors that arise when chemical components of food stimulate the gustatory apparatus of the oral cavity, namely taste receptor cells found within taste buds. Consequent neural activity in taste nerves and taste-related areas of the brain lead to gustatory sensation and perception. There is general agreement that activation of the taste system results in the perception of five unique taste qualities, or basic tastes, in humans: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. It has long been appreciated that perception of these tastes plays a pivotal role in feeding by providing the organism with an appraisal of food nutrient value and/or potential toxicity. Though much remains unknown, our understanding of the gustatory system has burgeoned since 2000. Advances in molecular genetic techniques, for example, provided the launchpad for explosive growth in our understanding of the basic molecular and cellular physiology of taste receptor cells. This information, in turn, has stimulated theoretical, conceptual, and experimental reappraisal of long-standing ideas about the neuroanatomical and neurophysiological bases of taste stimulus coding and perception. Simultaneously, progress in functional brain-imaging technologies permitted non-invasive investigation of the neural pathways and processes involved in taste perception in humans. Results from functional imaging studies have confirmed, extended, and clarified findings from previous psychophysical studies in healthy participants and in patients with peripheral and central nervous system lesions. These studies have also revealed neural correlates of flavor, taste and flavor hedonics, and food-related reward. Combined molecular, behavioral, psychophysical, and imaging data suggest that taste can influence and be influenced by disease. Taste modulates metabolism and contributes to diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Various diseases and the drugs used to treat them can have strong negative impacts on taste, which can lead to impaired nutrition and diminished quality of life. The reciprocal influences of disease and taste signal the importance of considering this sensory modality in health, nutrition, and food industry policies and practice.

scholarly journals Decoding Task-Related Functional Brain Imaging Data to Identify Developmental Disorders: The Case of Congenital Amusia

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippe Albouy ◽  
Anne Caclin ◽  
Sam V. Norman-Haignere ◽  
Yohana Lévêque ◽  
Isabelle Peretz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Imaging ◽  
Developmental Disorders ◽  
Functional Brain Imaging ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Functional Brain ◽  
Congenital Amusia ◽  
Brain Imaging Data

scholarly journals Metabolic Brain Network Analysis of FDG-PET in Alzheimer’s Disease Using Kernel-Based Persistent Features

Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (12) ◽  
pp. 2301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liqun Kuang ◽  
Deyu Zhao ◽  
Jiacheng Xing ◽  
Zhongyu Chen ◽  
Fengguang Xiong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Algebraic Topology ◽  
Fdg Pet ◽  
Persistent Homology ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Imaging Biomarker ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Preclinical Ad

Recent research of persistent homology in algebraic topology has shown that the altered network organization of human brain provides a promising indicator of many neuropsychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the current slope-based approach may not accurately characterize changes of persistent features over graph filtration because such curves are not strictly linear. Moreover, our previous integrated persistent feature (IPF) works well on an rs-fMRI cohort while it has not yet been studied on metabolic brain networks. To address these issues, we propose a novel univariate network measurement, kernel-based IPF (KBI), based on the prior IPF, to quantify the difference between IPF curves. In our experiments, we apply the KBI index to study fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging data from 140 subjects with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), 280 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 280 healthy normal controls (NC). The results show the disruption of network integration in the progress of AD. Compared to previous persistent homology-based measures, as well as other standard graph-based measures that characterize small-world organization and modular structure, our proposed network index KBI possesses more significant group difference and better classification performance, suggesting that it may be used as an effective preclinical AD imaging biomarker.

fMRI Brain Activation in a Finnish Family With Specific Language Impairment Compared With a Normal Control Group

2004 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 162-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Hugdahl ◽  
Hilde Gundersen ◽  
Cecilie Brekke ◽  
Tormod Thomsen ◽  
Lars Morten Rimol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Frontal Lobe ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
Specific Language Impairment ◽  
Brain Activation ◽  
Functional Brain Imaging ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Intact Control ◽  
Specific Language

The aim of the present study was to investigate differences in brain activation in a family with SLI as compared to intact individuals with normally developed language during processing of language stimuli. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to monitor changes in neuronal activation in temporal and frontal lobe areas in 5 Finnish family members with specific language impairment (SLI) and 6 individuals in an intact control group. Magnetic resonance (MR) image acquisitions were made while the participants listened to series of isolated vowel sounds, pseudowords, and real words. The stimuli were digitized single Finnish vowel sounds, 3-phoneme pseudowords, and 3- and 4-phoneme real words. MR scanning was made with a 1.5 T Siemens Vision Plus scanner, and the auditory stimuli were presented according to an event-related fMRI design. The results showed significant differences between the family with SLI and the intact control group with regard to brain activation in areas in the temporal and frontal lobes. Temporal lobe activation differences were most pronounced in the middle temporal gyrus bordering the superior temporal sulcus. The control participants also activated an area in the inferior frontal lobe in BA 44. It is concluded that individuals with SLI showed reduced activation in brain areas that are critical for speech processing and phonological awareness. The present functional brain imaging data fit well with other recent imaging data that also showed structural abnormalities in the same and neighboring areas.

Cocaine-induced Impulsive Choices Are Accompanied by Impaired Delay-dependent Anticipatory Activity in Basolateral Amygdala

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 196-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanfang Zuo ◽  
Xinsheng Wang ◽  
Cailian Cui ◽  
Fei Luo ◽  
Peng Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Basolateral Amygdala ◽  
Delayed Reinforcement ◽  
Cocaine Exposure ◽  
Reward Delivery ◽  
Chronic Cocaine ◽  
Delay Dependence ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
Anticipatory Activity ◽  
Delay Dependent

Addicts and drug-experienced animals have decision-making deficits in delayed reinforcement choice task, in which they prefer small immediate rewards over large delayed rewards. Here, we show evidence that this deficit is accompanied by changed coding of delay length in the basolateral amygdala (BLA). A subset of neurons in BLA demonstrated delay-dependent anticipatory activity (either increase or decrease as a function of delay to reward) in naive rats. After 30 days of withdrawal from chronic cocaine treatment (30 mg/kg/day for 10 days ip), the proportion of delay-dependent anticipatory neurons reduced, whereas delay-dependent activity in response to elapsed delay after reward delivery increased, both in the proportion of delay-dependent neurons and in the extent of delay dependence. Cocaine exposure increased, instead of decreased, BLA neuronal expectation for different reward magnitudes. These results indicate that BLA is critical for representing and maintaining the information of delayed reward before its delivery, and cocaine exposure may affect decision-making by impairing perception of delay instead of the ability to assess the differences in reward size.

scholarly journals WAVE1 in neurons expressing the D1 dopamine receptor regulates cellular and behavioral actions of cocaine

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (6) ◽  
pp. 1395-1400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilaria Ceglia ◽  
Ko-Woon Lee ◽  
Michael E. Cahill ◽  
Steven M. Graves ◽  
David Dietz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dopamine Receptor ◽  
Dendritic Spine ◽  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Feedback Regulation ◽  
Projection Neurons ◽  
Spine Density ◽  
Cocaine Exposure ◽  
Chronic Cocaine ◽  
D1 Dopamine Receptor ◽  
Nmda Glutamate Receptor Antagonist

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) family verprolin homologous protein 1 (WAVE1) regulates actin-related protein 2/3 (Arp2/3) complex-mediated actin polymerization. Our previous studies have found WAVE1 to be inhibited by Cdk5-mediated phosphorylation in brain and to play a role in the regulation of dendritic spine morphology. Here we report that mice in which WAVE1 was knocked out (KO) in neurons expressing the D1 dopamine receptor (D1-KO), but not mice where WAVE1 was knocked out in neurons expressing the D2 dopamine receptor (D2-KO), exhibited a significant decrease in place preference associated with cocaine. In contrast to wild-type (WT) and WAVE1 D2-KO mice, cocaine-induced sensitized locomotor behavior was not maintained in WAVE1 D1-KO mice. After chronic cocaine administration and following withdrawal, an acute cocaine challenge induced WAVE1 activation in striatum, which was assessed by dephosphorylation. The cocaine-induced WAVE1 dephosphorylation was attenuated by coadministration of either a D1 dopamine receptor or NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist. Upon an acute challenge of cocaine following chronic cocaine exposure and withdrawal, we also observed in WT, but not in WAVE1 D1-KO mice, a decrease in dendritic spine density and a decrease in the frequency of excitatory postsynaptic AMPA receptor currents in medium spiny projection neurons expressing the D1 dopamine receptor (D1-MSNs) in the nucleus accumbens. These results suggest that WAVE1 is involved selectively in D1-MSNs in cocaine-evoked neuronal activity-mediated feedback regulation of glutamatergic synapses.

scholarly journals Epidural motor cortex stimulation with functional imaging guidance

2001 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alon Y. Mogilner ◽  
Ali R. Rezai
Keyword(s):  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Mr Imaging ◽  
Functional Imaging ◽  
Surgical Planning ◽  
Functional Brain Imaging ◽  
Anatomical Landmarks ◽  
Motor Cortex Stimulation ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Direct Stimulation ◽  
Imaging Guidance

Chronic epidural motor cortex stimulation (MCS) has been shown to have promise in the treatment of patients with refractory deafferentation pain. Precise placement of the electrode over the motor cortex region corresponding to the area of pain is essential for the success of this procedure. Whereas standard anatomical landmarks have been used in the past in conjunction with image guidance, the use of functional brain imaging can be beneficial in the precise surgical planning. The authors report the use of functional imaging–guided frameless stereotactic surgery for epidural MCS. Five patients underwent MCS in which functional imaging guidance was used. Prior to surgery, patients underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with skin fiducial markers placed on standard anatomical reference prints, followed by magnetoencephalography (MEG) mapping of the sensory and motor cortices. In two patients, functional MR imaging was also performed using a motor task paradigm. The functional imaging data were integrated into a frameless stereotactic database by using a three-dimensional coregistration algorithm. Subsequently, a frameless stereotactic craniotomy was performed using the integrated anatomical and functional imaging data for surgical planning. Intraoperative somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) and direct stimulation were used to confirm the target and final placement of the electrode. Direct stimulation and SSEPs performed intraoperatively confirmed the accuracy of the functional imaging data. Trial periods of stimulation successfully reduced pain in three of the five patients who then underwent permanent internal placement of the system. At a mean 6-month follow up, these patients reported an average reduction in pain of 55% on a visual analog scale. The integration of functional and anatomical imaging data allows for precise and efficient surgical planning and may reduce the time necessary for intraoperative physiological verification.

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