Behavioral and neurobiological alterations induced by chronic use of crack cocaine

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-75
Author(s):  
Bárbara dos Anjos Rosário ◽  
Maria de Fátima Santana de Nazaré ◽  
Débora Estadella ◽  
Daniel Araki Ribeiro ◽  
Milena de Barros Viana
Keyword(s):  
Crack Cocaine ◽  
Crystal Form ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Attention And Memory ◽  
Morphological Alterations ◽  
Biochemical Alterations ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Behavioral Sequelae ◽  
Chronic Use

Abstract Crack cocaine is the crystal form of cocaine and can be smoked, and rapidly absorbed, and, in part for this reason, is potently addictive. It is hypothesized that crack cocaine is able to induce important changes in different tissues and organs, and thus dramatically alter behavior. Nevertheless, which alterations in the central nervous system are related to its frequent use is still a matter of discussion. The present study is a literature review of articles published between the years 2008 and 2018 on the theme ‘crack cocaine and brain’ available in PUBMED, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google scholar databases. The results show that the use of crack cocaine induces important behavioral, neuroanatomical, and biochemical alterations. The main behavioral sequelae include cognitive and emotional changes, such as increased anxiety and depressive symptoms, attention and memory deficits, and hyperactivity. Among the neurobiological alterations are reductions in the activity of the prefrontal, anterior cingulate cortex, and nucleus accumbens. Molecular changes include decreases in neurotrophic factors and increases in oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines, which may be responsible for the morphological alterations observed. It is also hypothesized that these neurobiological changes might explain the emotional and cognitive dysfunctions experienced by crack cocaine addicts.

Central Nervous System Processing of Emotions in Children with Fecal Incontinence and Constipation

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-71
Author(s):  
Monika Equit ◽  
Justine Niemczyk ◽  
Anna Kluth ◽  
Carla Thomas ◽  
Mathias Rubly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Fecal Incontinence ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Afferent Pathways ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Related Potentials ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Cortical Regions

Abstract. Objective: Fecal incontinence and constipation are common disorders in childhood. The enteric nervous system and the central nervous system are highly interactive along the brain-gut axis. The interaction is mainly afferent. These afferent pathways include centers that are involved in the central nervous processing of emotions as the mid/posterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex. A previous study revealed altered processing of emotions in children with fecal incontinence. The present study replicates these results. Methods: In order to analyze the processing of emotions, we compared the event-related potentials of 25 children with fecal incontinence and constipation to those of 15 control children during the presentation of positive, negative, and neutral pictures. Results: Children with fecal incontinence and constipation showed altered processing of emotions, especially in the parietal and central cortical regions. Conclusions: The main study results of the previous study were replicated, increasing the certainty and validity of the findings.

scholarly journals Changes of Myelin Organization in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease Shown by q-Space Myelin Map Imaging

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miho Ota ◽  
Noriko Sato ◽  
Yukio Kimura ◽  
Yoko Shigemoto ◽  
Hiroshi Kunugi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Imaging Modality ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Duration Of Illness ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Background: Recent studies detected the aberrant myelination of the central nervous system (CNS) in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here, we compared the change of myelination between patients with AD and controls by a novel magnetic resonance imaging modality, “q-space myelin map (MM) imaging.” Methods: Twenty patients with AD and 18 healthy subjects underwent MM imaging. We compared the MM metric between the 2 groups and examined the relationships between the metric and the clinical symptoms of AD. Results: AD patients showed a significant reduction of MM metric in the hippocampus, insula, precuneus, and anterior cingulate regions. There was also a significant negative correlation between the duration of illness and the MM metric in the temporoparietal region. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that MM imaging could be a clinically proper modality to estimate the myelination changes in AD patients.

Attention and memory deficits in crack-cocaine users persist over four weeks of abstinence

2017 ◽  
Vol 81 ◽  
pp. 73-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priscila P. Almeida ◽  
Gerardo M. de Araujo Filho ◽  
Stella M. Malta ◽  
Ronaldo R. Laranjeira ◽  
Ana Cecilia R.P. Marques ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crack Cocaine ◽  
Memory Deficits ◽  
Attention And Memory ◽  
Cocaine Users

scholarly journals Crack cocaine use impairs anterior cingulate and prefrontal cortex function in women with HIV infection

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 352-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa J. Meyer ◽  
Deborah M. Little ◽  
Daniel A. Fitzgerald ◽  
Erin E. Sundermann ◽  
Leah H. Rubin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Crack Cocaine ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Cocaine Use ◽  
Women With Hiv

Localizing evoked cortical activity associated with balance reactions: does the anterior cingulate play a role?

2014 ◽  
Vol 111 (12) ◽  
pp. 2634-2643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Marlin ◽  
George Mochizuki ◽  
William R. Staines ◽  
William E. McIlroy
Keyword(s):  
Error Detection ◽  
Balance Control ◽  
Flanker Task ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Distributed Network ◽  
Subsequent Work ◽  
Localized Source ◽  
Error Related Negativity ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Mean

The ability to correct balance disturbances is essential for the maintenance of upright stability. Although information about how the central nervous system controls balance reactions in humans remains limited, recent literature highlights a potentially important role for the cerebral cortex. The objective of this study was to determine the neural source of the well-reported balance-evoked N1 response. It was hypothesized that the N1 is associated with an “error-detection” event in response to the induced perturbation and therefore may be associated with activity within the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The localized source of the N1 evoked by perturbations to standing balance was compared, within each participant, to the location of an error-related negativity (ERN) known to occur within the ACC while performing a flanker task. In contrast to the main hypotheses, the results revealed that the location of the N1 was not within the ACC. The mean Talairach coordinates for the ERN were (6.47, −4.41, 41.17) mm, corresponding to the cingulate gyrus [Brodmann area (BA) 24], as expected. However, coordinates for the N1 dipole were (5.74, −11.81, 53.73) mm, corresponding to the medial frontal gyrus (BA 6), specifically the supplementary motor area. This may suggest the N1 is linked to the planning and execution of elements of the evoked balance reactions rather than being associated with error or event detection. Alternatively, it is possible that the N1 is associated with variation in the cortical representation due to task-specific differences in the activation of a distributed network of error-related processing. Subsequent work should focus on disentangling these two possible explanations as they relate to the cortical processing linked to reactive balance control.

Cerebral metabolism in problem drinkers under the influence of alcohol and chlorpromazine hydrochloride

1960 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. C. Sutherland ◽  
T. N. Burbridge ◽  
J. E. Adams ◽  
A. Simon
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Metabolism ◽  
Glucose Consumption ◽  
Problem Drinkers ◽  
Pronounced Change ◽  
Chlorpromazine Hydrochloride ◽  
Arterial Blood ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Lactic Acids ◽  
Chronic Use ◽  
Made In

Cerebral blood flow and metabolism studies by means of the nitrous oxide method of Kety and Schmidt were made in males who had been problem drinkers for an average of 11 years. Patients having psychoses, neuropathies, hepatic insufficiency and avitaminosis were excluded prior to the first of two studies per patient. The first study was on the effect of the oral administration of 1 gm/kg of alcohol alone and the second was made after treatment with chlorpromazine for 1 week, at which time the procedure with alcohol was repeated. The chronic use of alcohol produces an alteration in the metabolism of glutamic acid in the central nervous system and in the content of glutamic and lactic acids in the arterial blood. Further, chlorpromazine administration for a week affects more cerebral and peripheral changes than have been established for a single dose before as well as after alcohol ingestion. Despite a multiplicity of effects with alcohol, including a pronounced change in behavior after chlorpromazine, the values for cerebral oxygen and glucose consumption are normal. Submitted on March 16, 1959

scholarly journals Extrinsic functional connectivity of the default mode network in crack-cocaine users

2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Lima Nava Martins ◽  
Talles Destefani de Souza Valiatti ◽  
Júlia D'Ávila ◽  
Lucas Freire Ferreira ◽  
Edson Kruger Batista ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Correlation Analysis ◽  
Independent Component Analysis ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Default Mode Network ◽  
Crack Cocaine ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Independent Component ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Cocaine Users

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to explore the functional connectivity of the default mode network (DMN) in crack-cocaine users, in comparison with that observed in age-matched non-drug-using controls. Materials and Methods: Inpatient crack-cocaine users who had been abstinent for at least four weeks and age-matched non-drug-using controls underwent resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Images were acquired while the subjects rested with their eyes closed. After data preprocessing, DMNs were defined by spatial independent component analysis and seed-based correlation analysis, by chosen regions of interest centered in the ventral anterior cingulate cortex and in the posterior cingulate cortex. Results: The functional connectivity of the DMN determined by independent component analysis did not differ between the crack-cocaine users and the controls. However, the seed-based correlation analysis seeking a single metric of functional connectivity between specific brain regions showed that the negative connectivity between the ventral anterior cingulate cortex and the left superior parietal lobule was significantly greater in the crack-cocaine users than in the controls. Conclusion: The results suggest that selective extrinsic network connectivity of the DMN related to motor and executive function is impaired during crack-cocaine addiction.

The Role of Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Working Memory is Shaped by Functional Connectivity

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 1026-1042 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agatha Lenartowicz ◽  
Anthony R. McIntosh
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Standard Condition ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Connectivity Pattern ◽  
Attention And Memory ◽  
Speed Accuracy

The anterior cingulate (AC) cortex seems to be similarly engaged by attentional and memory processes. We tested the hypothesis that this common activation is best explained by changes in the regions interacting (functionally connected) with AC. Subjects were tested on two variants of a 2-back working memory task: a standard version with strong attentional demands, and a cued version that more strongly promoted memory retrieval. AC activation, measured with functional MRI, was found in both tasks, although more sustained in the standard condition. The regions functionally connected to the AC, and the relation of these activity patterns to memory performance, were completely different across tasks. In the standard task, the pattern related to a speed-accuracy tradeoff, whereas the connectivity pattern unique to the cued task related only to better accuracy. By virtue of these changing patterns of functional connectivity, the contribution of AC to attention-and memory-driven performance was similarly changed.

Experience of joint management of patient with Huntington's chorea by neurological and dental specialists with use of tetrabenazine

2021 ◽  
pp. 51-54
Author(s):  
M. G. Sokolova ◽  
V. A. Shavurov ◽  
G. I. Shvartsman ◽  
D. A. Pitolenko ◽  
N. S. Sotnikov
Keyword(s):  
General Anesthesia ◽  
Dental Care ◽  
Hereditary Disease ◽  
Huntington's Chorea ◽  
Hyperkinetic Syndrome ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Basal Nuclei ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Dental Intervention ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Huntington's chorea is a hereditary disease causing progressive degeneration of the central nervous system with the damage to extrapyramidal structures: basal nuclei, striatum, subthalamic nucleus with increased activity of the central dopaminergic pathways, with the development of neurological, psychiatric, and emotional/personality disorders [1, 17]. The inheritance pattern of the disorder is autosomal dominance. The prevalence of Huntington's disease ranges from 3 to 17 cases per 100,000 population, averaging 5–7 cases per 100,000 population in Russia [2]. The development of the disease is associated with the expansion of CAG (cytosine-adenine-guanine) trinucleotide repeats in the frst exon of the HTT gene encoding the huntingtin protein. This expansion of trinucleotides (long sections of glutamine residues) leads to the selective loss of neurons that connect the striatum and the globus pallidus. This leads to a loss of inhibitory activity and an increase in the excitation impulse, which leads to uncontrolled movements.Unfortunately, medical treatment does not slow down the progression of this disease (a lethal outcome occurs within 15–20 years). Improvement of the quality of life of people with Huntington's chorea, with the provision of medical services at an appropriate level, remains an urgent issue. This direction is especially relevant in providing dental care to patients with Huntington's chorea. Due to the pronounced hyperkinetic syndrome and compulsive movements in the muscles of the arms, trunk, neck and face, it is almost impossible to provide dental care for these patients. Currently, general anesthesia is used to enable dental intervention, but patients note that with frequent use of anesthesia, the patient's condition deteriorates, with an increase in hyperkinetic symptoms. Tetrabenazine is known to reduce the severity of hyperkinetic symptoms and is used in many countries [5].However, in our country many specialists are not familiar with it. During the follow-up of a patient with Huntington's chorea, with the selection of a therapeutic dose of tetrabenazine, it was possible to provide three stages of dental care for the patient without the use of general anesthesia. The material presented in the article can provide useful information on the use of tetrabenazine in patients with Huntington's chorea.

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