The prediction of resilience to alcohol consumption in youths: insular and subcallosal cingulate myeloarchitecture

Abstract

Background The prediction of alcohol consumption in youths and particularly biomarkers of resilience, is critical for early intervention to reduce the risk of subsequent harmful alcohol use. Methods At baseline, the longitudinal relaxation rate (R1), indexing grey matter myelination (i.e. myeloarchitecture), was assessed in 86 adolescents/young adults (mean age = 21.76, range: 15.75–26.67 years). The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) was assessed at baseline, 1- and 2-year follow-ups (12- and 24-months post-baseline). We used a whole brain data-driven approach controlled for age, gender, impulsivity and other substance and behavioural addiction measures, such as problematic cannabis use, drug use-related problems, internet gaming, pornography use, binge eating, and levels of externalization, to predict the change in AUDIT scores from R1. Results Greater baseline bilateral anterior insular and subcallosal cingulate R1 (cluster-corrected family-wise error p < 0.05) predict a lower risk for harmful alcohol use (measured as a reduction in AUDIT scores) at 2-year follow-up. Control analyses show that other grey matter measures (local volume or fractional anisotropy) did not reveal such an association. An atlas-based machine learning approach further confirms the findings. Conclusions The insula is critically involved in predictive coding of autonomic function relevant to subjective alcohol cue/craving states and risky decision-making processes. The subcallosal cingulate is an essential node underlying emotion regulation and involved in negative emotionality addiction theories. Our findings highlight insular and cingulate myeloarchitecture as a potential protective biomarker that predicts resilience to alcohol misuse in youths, providing novel identifiers for early intervention.

Machine Learning Applications and Advancements in Alcohol Use Disorder: A Systematic Review

“…Weidacker et al concluded that grey matter myelinations (myeloarchitecture) could be a potential protective biomarker, as greater baseline myeloarchitecture predicted a lower risk for harmful alcohol use at two-year follow-up. (87)…”

“…Weidacker et al concluded that grey matter myelinations (myeloarchitecture) could be a potential protective biomarker, as greater baseline myeloarchitecture predicted a lower risk for harmful alcohol use at two-year follow-up. (87) Impulsivity is another aspect of interest for AUD prediction in adolescents. Sex-dependent differential trajectories of impulsivity in high school students may increase an individual's susceptibility to substance use disorder, including alcohol.…”

The regulation of emotions and problematic alcohol use: a review of literature

“…Alcoholism & Drug Addiction / Alkoholizm i narkomania 2023; 36, 2 Neurobiologia regulacji emocji w AUD i innych modelach picia W badaniach neuroobrazowych mózgu oceniających spożycie alkoholu wśród młodzieży zaobserwowano, że wyspa jest istotnie zaangażowana w kodowanie funkcji autonomicznych związanych z subiektywnymi stanami głodu alkoholowego i ryzykownymi procesami decyzyjnymi, a podspoidłowy zakręt obręczy leży u podstaw regulacji emocji [71]. Inne prace sugerują, że mniejsze zaangażowanie dużych obwodów mózgowych wspierających odgórną kontrolę uwagi, szczególnie podczas doświadczania negatywnych emocji, wiąże się z bardziej problemowym piciem u młodych dorosłych [72].…”

“…obserwowano, że alkohol zakłóca łączność między regionami przedniej części wyspy (anterior insula -aINS) a grzbietową przednią korą zakrętu obręczy (dorsal anterior cingulate cortex -dACC), co upośledza wykrycie i ocenę emocjonalnie istotnych informacji, a tym samym wzmacnia bezpośrednie anksjolityczne efekty alkoholu [75]. Wyniki badań sugerują, że w niektórych deficytach poznawczych i afektywnych obserwowanych u osób z AUD może pośredniczyć, The neurobiology of emotion regulation in AUD and other models of drinking Brain neuroimaging studies assessing alcohol use among adolescents have observed that the insula is significantly involved in encoding autonomic functions related to subjective states of alcohol craving and risky decision-making and that the sublimbic cingulate rim lies at the heart of emotion regulation [71]. Other work suggests that the smaller involvement of large brain circuits supporting top-down attentional control, particularly during the experience of negative emotions, is associated with more problem drinking in young adults [72].…”