Aberrations of anterior insular cortex functional connectivity in nontreatment-seeking alcoholics. (28th February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Halcomb, Meredith E; Chumin, Evgeny J; Goñi, Joaquín; Dzemidzic, Mario; Yoder, Karmen K
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 284(2019)
• Page Start: 21
• Page End: 28
• Publication Date: 2019-02-28
• Subjects: Alcohol use disorder -- Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging -- Salience network -- Interoception -- Alcoholism -- Hippocampus -- Orbitofrontal cortex; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Brain -- Imaging -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Diagnostic Imaging -- Periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; Cerveau -- Imagerie pour le diagnostic -- Périodiques; 616.890754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2018.12.016
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0925-4927

Abstract

Highlights: Little is known about resting state functional connectivity (FC) of the salience network in nontreatment-seeking alcoholics. We analyzed resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 16 Non-treatment seeking alcoholics (NTS) and 21 social drinkers, using seed regions in the anterior insular cortex. Novel findings showed that NTS has higher insular FC with hippocampal regions and medial orbitofrontal cortex. Hyperactive interactions between networks involved with interoception, salience attribution, learning, and behavioral control may underlie the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorders. Abstract: An emergent literature suggests that resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) functional connectivity (FC) patterns are aberrant in alcohol use disorder (AUD) populations. The salience network (SAL) is an established set of brain regions prominent in salience attribution and valuation, and includes the anterior insular cortex (AIC). The SAL is thought to play a role in AUD through directing increased attention to interoceptive cues of intoxication. There is very little information on the salience network (SAL) in AUD, and, in particular, there are no data on SAL FC in currently drinking, nontreatment seeking individuals with AUD (NTS). rsfMRI data from 16 NTS and 21 social drinkers (SD) were compared using FC correlation maps from ten seed regions of interest in the bilateral AIC. As anticipated, SD subjects demonstrated greater insular FC with frontal and parietal regions. We also found that, compared to SD, NTS had higher insular FC with hippocampal and medial orbitofrontal regions. The apparent overactivity in brain networks involved in salience, learning, and behavioral control in NTS suggests possible mechanisms in the development and maintenance of AUD.