Lower Left Thalamic Myo-Inositol Levels Associated with Greater Cognitive Impulsivity in Marijuana-Dependent Young Men: Preliminary Spectroscopic Evidence at 4T

Mashhoon, Yasmin; Jensen, J. Eric; Sneider, Jennifer T.; Yurgelun‐Todd, Deborah; Silveri, Marisa M.

doi:10.4172/2155-6105.s4-009

Cited by 15 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…The two studies that were eligible for this review reported no group differences in most neurometabolites among marijuana users and healthy control subjects (Mashhoon et al, 2011; Silveri et al, 2011), with the exception of alterations in myo-inositol. Notably, changes in the thalamus (Mashhoon et al, 2011) and globally (Silveri et al, 2011) were noted with lower myo-inositol (Mashhoon et al, 2013) and myo-inositol/creatine ratio (Silveri et al, 2011) in chronic marijuana users with respect to healthy volunteers. These limited findings indicate that marijuana use may result in decreased glial proliferation.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Utility of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Understanding Substance Use Disorders

Hellem

Shi

Latendresse

et al. 2015

J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc

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The aim of this article is to present a systematic review of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies of substance use disorders. As a noninvasive and nonionizing imaging technique, MRS is being widely used in substance abuse research to evaluate the effects substances of abuse have on brain chemistry. Nearly 40 peer-reviewed research articles that focused on the utility of MRS in alcohol, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, cocaine, opiates, opioids, marijuana, and nicotine use disorders were reviewed. Findings indicate inconsistencies with respect to alterations in brain chemistry within each substance of abuse, and the most consistent finding across substances was decreased N-acetylaspartate and choline levels with chronic alcohol, methamphetamine, and nicotine use. Variation in the brain regions studied, imaging technique, as well as small sample sizes might explain the discrepancies in findings within each substance. Future well-designed MRS studies offer promise in examining novel treatment approaches in substance use disorders.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Utility of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Understanding Substance Use Disorders

Hellem

Shi

Latendresse

et al. 2015

J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc

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“…In patients with psychotic disorders suicidal behavior was associated with reduced GMV in cortical and subcortical structures including the left thalamus (Giakoumatos et al, 2013). In magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging, marijuana users exhibited significantly reduced myo-Inositol levels in the left thalamus, relative to non-using participants, in association with elevated cognitive impulsivity as assessed by BIS-11 (Mashhoon et al, 2013). Reductions in myo-Inositol levels are suggestive of regional glial loss, which can lead to altered regional neurotransmission and GMV reduction (Gispert et al, 2016, Rajkowska and Miguel-Hidalgo, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Sex differences in the interacting roles of impulsivity and positive alcohol expectancy in problem drinking: A structural brain imaging study

Ide

Zhornitsky

et al. 2017

NeuroImage: Clinical

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Alcohol expectancy and impulsivity are implicated in alcohol misuse. However, how these two risk factors interact to determine problem drinking and whether men and women differ in these risk processes remain unclear. In 158 social drinkers (86 women) assessed for Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), positive alcohol expectancy, and Barratt impulsivity, we examined sex differences in these risk processes. Further, with structural brain imaging, we examined the neural bases underlying the relationship between these risk factors and problem drinking. The results of general linear modeling showed that alcohol expectancy best predicted problem drinking in women, whereas in men as well as in the combined group alcohol expectancy and impulsivity interacted to best predict problem drinking. Alcohol expectancy was associated with decreased gray matter volume (GMV) of the right posterior insula in women and the interaction of alcohol expectancy and impulsivity was associated with decreased GMV of the left thalamus in women and men combined and in men alone, albeit less significantly. These risk factors mediated the correlation between GMV and problem drinking. Conversely, models where GMV resulted from problem drinking were not supported. These new findings reveal distinct psychological factors that dispose men and women to problem drinking. Although mediation analyses did not determine a causal link, GMV reduction in the insula and thalamus may represent neural phenotype of these risk processes rather than the consequence of alcohol consumption in non-dependent social drinkers. The results add to the alcohol imaging literature which has largely focused on dependent individuals and help elucidate alterations in brain structures that may contribute to the transition from social to habitual drinking.

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“…Similar to the FG, the thalamus is also moderately distributed with CB1 receptors (Glass et al, 1997; Wong et al, 2010) and has also exhibited altered gray matter tissue density (Matochik et al, 2005) and neurometabolite levels (Silveri et al, 2011; Mashhoon et al, 2013) in MJ users. Chronic consumption of MJ, such as the patterns established by MJ users in the present study, and consequent regular binding of THC to CB1 receptors may directly alter the volume of the thalamus through a combination of axonal, neuronal and myelin loss (Evangelou et al, 2000; Hof et al, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hippocampus, amygdala and thalamus, regions demonstrating high CB1 receptor distribution (Herkenham et al, 1991), also were selected for volumetric analysis based on evidence that MJ users exhibit functional and neurochemical alterations in these regions related to marijuana use (Ashtari et al, 2011; Bolla et al, 2005; Cousijn et al, 2012; Demirakca et al, 2011; Gilman et al, 2014; Glass et al, 1997; Hester et al, 2009; Mashhoon et al, 2013; Matochik et al, 2005; Schacht et al, 2012; Sneider et al, 2013; Sneider et al, 2014; Yucel et al, 2008). Clinical measures of mood and impulsivity were examined relative to cortical thickness and brain volume to further probe potential links with neurobiological consequences of marijuana use.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cortical thinness and volume differences associated with marijuana abuse in emerging adults

Mashhoon

Sava

Sneider

et al. 2015

Drug and Alcohol Dependence

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Background The prevalence of marijuana (MJ) use among youth and its legalization for medical or recreational use has intensified public health endeavors of understanding MJ effects on brain structure and function. Studies indicate that MJ use is related to impaired cognitive performance, and altered functional brain activation and chemistry in adolescents and adults, but MJ effects on brain morphology in emerging adults are less understood. Methods 15 MJ users (age 21.8±3.6, 2 females) and 15 non-using (NU) participants (age 22.3±3.5, 2 females) were included, demographically matched on age, education and alcohol use. High-resolution structural MR images were acquired at 3 Tesla. Cortical thickness (CT) and volumetric analyses were performed using Freesurfer. A priori regions of interest (ROI) included orbitofrontal and cingulate cortices, amygdala, hippocampus and thalamus. Results Whole brain CT analysis did not find significant group differences in a priori ROIs but revealed MJ users had significantly less CT (i.e., thinness) in right fusiform gyrus (rFG) compared to NU (p<0.05). Thalamic volume was significantly smaller in MJ users compared to NU (right, p=0.05; left, p=0.01) and associated with greater non-planning (p<0.01) and overall impulsivity (p=0.04). There were no other group volume differences. Conclusions RFG cortical thinness and smaller thalamic volume in emerging adults is associated with MJ abuse. Furthermore, smaller thalamic volume associated with greater impulsivity contributes to growing evidence that the thalamus is neurobiologically perturbed by MJ use. Collectively, altered thalamic and rFG structural integrity may interfere with their known roles in regulating visuoperceptual and object information processing.

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Lower Left Thalamic Myo-Inositol Levels Associated with Greater Cognitive Impulsivity in Marijuana-Dependent Young Men: Preliminary Spectroscopic Evidence at 4T

Cited by 15 publications

References 48 publications

The Utility of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Understanding Substance Use Disorders

The Utility of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Understanding Substance Use Disorders

Sex differences in the interacting roles of impulsivity and positive alcohol expectancy in problem drinking: A structural brain imaging study

Cortical thinness and volume differences associated with marijuana abuse in emerging adults

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