Cerebellar Lingula Size and Experiential Risk Factors Associated with High Levels of Alcohol and Drug Use in Young Adults

Abstract

Previous studies have reported cerebellar abnormalities or static ataxia associated with risk for chronic use of alcohol and drugs. Adverse childhood experience (ACE) is another strong risk factor for later substance abuse. We therefore, sought to ascertain the relationship between morphological phenotypes of the lingula (Lobule I) of the anterior cerebellar vermis (ACV), and exposure to emotional (EM) versus physical (PM) maltreatment,on the degree of ongoing alcohol or drug use. The study design consisted of a cross-sectional in vivo neuroimaging study, utilizing retrospective assessment of maltreatment history and self-reports of alcohol and substance use. Study participants were 153 subjects (54M/99F, 21.9±2.2 years) selected for imaging from a database of 1,402 community participants 18–25 years of age, who completed a detailed online screening instrument, and met rigorous inclusion/exclusion criteria. Subjects were exposed to only physical abuse or harsh corporal punishment (PM group, n=37); parental verbal abuse and/or witnessing domestic violence (EM group, n= 58); or had no history of maltreatment or Axis I disorders (n=58). The main outcomes measures consisted of the grey matter volume of Lobule I as measured by manual tracing, number and type of alcoholic beverages consumed during a drinking session, number of sessions per month, and monthly drug use, along with family history of drug and alcohol abuse. Lingula thickness was not attenuated by alcohol use or maltreatment history. However, increased lingula thickness was associated with greater consumption of drugs and hard liquor, particularly in physically maltreated subjects who consumed 2.5- and 2.7-fold more alcohol, and used drugs 6.1- and 7.8-fold more frequently than controls or EM subjects, respectively. In conclusion, physical maltreatment was observed to interact with cerebellar morphology resulting in a strong association with alcohol and substance use. Lingula thickness may represent a novel, experientially-sensitive, phenotypic risk factor for enhanced alcohol and drug use, that perhaps modulates sensitivity to these agents.

Hurtful Words: Association of Exposure to Peer Verbal Abuse With Elevated Psychiatric Symptom Scores and Corpus Callosum Abnormalities

“…As in our previous studies of subjects exposed to VA (5, 6, 12), self-report ratings were obtained using Kellner's Symptom Questionnaire (SQ; (13)), the Dissociative Experience Scale (DES; (14)) and the Limbic System Checklist-33 (LSCL-33; (15)). The SQ provides four symptom scales (depression, anxiety, anger-hostility, somatic complaints).…”

“…This has been shown to be true for early exposure to childhood sexual abuse (CSA), physical abuse (PA), witnessing domestic violence (WDV) and composite scores reflecting exposure to multiple forms of trauma (4). Previously, we reported that parental verbal abuse (VA) is an important, but often overlooked, form of childhood adversity that was more strongly associated with symptom ratings such as depression and anger-hostility than parental PA (5, 6). …”

Predicting future drinking among young adults: using ensemble machine-learning to combine MRI with psychometrics and behaviour

“…In line with this argument, specific attention may be given to the role of the cerebellum. The cerebellum is a brain region that has consistently demonstrated volumetric (42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47) and functional abnormalities (48)(49)(50)(51) in individuals with heavy alcohol consumption. To date, there have been few investigations of cerebellar function in young adults in relation to impulsive behaviour and substance use.…”

Cerebellar Lingula Thickness as a Novel Risk Factor for Alcohol and Drug Abuse

“…In this issue, a careful examination of the morphology of the anterior cerebellar vermis by Anderson et al [6] reveals that a high-level consumption of hard liquor in young adults who have not previously showed alcohol dependence is associated with a marked thickening of lobule I (lingula). Increased lingula thickness is found in case of greater consumption of drugs and hard liquor, particularly in physically maltreated subjects who have consumed more alcohol and have used drugs more frequently than controls.…”

“…Genetic susceptibility interacts with experience to determine outcome [6]. Exposure to childhood adversity is now considered as a major experiential risk factor.…”