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The Functional and Structural Neural Connectivity of Affective Processing in Alcohol Dependence: A Multimodal Imaging Study

Padula, Claudia B
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1377869730

Abstract Details

, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Psychology.
Previous studies have demonstrated a role for affective processing deficits in the development and maintenance of alcohol dependence (AD) and research has shown that prolonged problematic drinking behaviors have global effects on brain structure and function, including frontolimbic regions underlying affective processing. However, no study to date has examined both functional (fcMRI) and underlying structural connectivity during affective processing in AD. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to characterize fcMRI of brain regions underlying affective processing in individuals with AD and healthy controls. The secondary aim was to determine whether white matter integrity predicts fcMRI in AD. Fourteen abstinent individuals with AD and 14 controls were included in this IRB-approved study. AD participants met criteria for AD in sustained, partial, or full remission; controls had no substance use disorders history. All diagnostic criteria were confirmed by clinical diagnostic interview. The facial affective processing task included fearful and happy expressions. Anatomical, functional, and diffusion tensor imaging data were collected and pre-processed according to previously established protocols. A psychophysiological interaction, fcMRI analysis was then conducted to assess whether the time-series activity in bilateral amygdala seed regions predicted activation in the rest of the brain during fearful and happy faces. In the 14 individuals with AD, functional anisotropy (FA) was calculated to measure white matter integrity. Independent samples t-tests were computed in AFNI to determine fcMRI clusters groups differences and follow up linear regression analyses were conducted in SPSS to include covariates and determine if FA predicted degree of fcMRI in AD. Fearful faces analyses revealed reduced fcMRI compared to controls between left amygdala and left precuneus, right precuneus, right middle frontal gyrus, left postcentral gyrus, right lingual gyrus, right fusiform gyrus, left fusiform gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, and right angular gyrus. Similarly, during happy face processing, the AD group demonstrated reduced fcMRI with the left amygdala and right paracentral gyrus. Additionally, white matter integrity predicted fcMRI in the AD group. As predicted, during fearful faces, increased FA predicted increased fcMRI in four regions. Surprisingly, increased FA also predicted decreased fcMRI in nine regions during fearful faces. One increased FA tract predicted increased fcMRI during happy faces. In conclusion, this study demonstrated AD was related to decreased fcMRI between left amygdala and various cortical regions during fearful and happy faces compared with controls. Additionally, white matter integrity in AD significantly predicted increased and decreased fcMRI during the task. Aberrant neural networks may relate to AD and structural markers may be one mechanism for observed differences. Results also suggest that inhibitory networks may be related to affective processing in AD. Future studies will examine the relationship between fcMRI and structural connectivity to behavioral indices. Longitudinal studies will determine the directionality of observed relationships and provide intervention direction. Interventions aimed at prevention are most effective, such as affective processing training or social cognition skills in adolescence when most problematic drinking behaviors begin. Additionally, new interventions are emerging in addiction research, which increase cortical and decrease limbic activation.
Paula Shear, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Krista M. Lisdahl, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
James Eliassen, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
56 p.
Clinical Psychology
fcMRI; DTI; alcohol dependence; affective processing; connectivity

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Padula, C. B. (n.d.). The Functional and Structural Neural Connectivity of Affective Processing in Alcohol Dependence: A Multimodal Imaging Study [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1377869730

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Padula, Claudia. The Functional and Structural Neural Connectivity of Affective Processing in Alcohol Dependence: A Multimodal Imaging Study. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1377869730.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Padula, Claudia. "The Functional and Structural Neural Connectivity of Affective Processing in Alcohol Dependence: A Multimodal Imaging Study." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati. Accessed APRIL 18, 2024. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1377869730

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1377869730
340
© , some rights reserved.Creative Commons License The Functional and Structural Neural Connectivity of Affective Processing in Alcohol Dependence: A Multimodal Imaging Study by Claudia B Padula is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.