OBJECTIVES: Fractional anisotropy (FA) via diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can quantify the white matter integrity. Exposure to addictive drugs, such as alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and nicotine has been shown to alter FA. White matter abnormalities have been shown, but it remains unclear whether the white matter FA is altered in heroin dependence. METHODS: Utilizing DTI, we investigated the FA difference between heroin-dependent and control subjects by a voxel-based strategy. The FA values of the identified regions were calculated from the FA image of each subject and were correlated with clinical features including months of heroin use, age, education, and dose of methadone. RESULTS: Reduced FA among 16 heroin dependent subjects was located in the bilateral frontal sub-gyral regions, right precentral and left cingulate gyrus. FA in the right frontal sub-gyral was negatively correlated with duration of heroin use. CONCLUSION: The disrupted white matter integrity in right frontal white matter may occur in continuous heroin abuse.
OBJECTIVES: Fractional anisotropy (FA) via diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can quantify the white matter integrity. Exposure to addictive drugs, such as alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and nicotine has been shown to alter FA. White matter abnormalities have been shown, but it remains unclear whether the white matter FA is altered in heroin dependence. METHODS: Utilizing DTI, we investigated the FA difference between heroin-dependent and control subjects by a voxel-based strategy. The FA values of the identified regions were calculated from the FA image of each subject and were correlated with clinical features including months of heroin use, age, education, and dose of methadone. RESULTS: Reduced FA among 16 heroin dependent subjects was located in the bilateral frontal sub-gyral regions, right precentral and left cingulate gyrus. FA in the right frontal sub-gyral was negatively correlated with duration of heroin use. CONCLUSION: The disrupted white matter integrity in right frontal white matter may occur in continuous heroin abuse.
Authors: Shabnam Azadeh; Brian P Hobbs; Liangsuo Ma; David A Nielsen; F Gerard Moeller; Veerabhadran Baladandayuthapani Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2015-10-17 Impact factor: 6.556
Authors: Kenneth Blum; Yijun Liu; Wei Wang; Yarong Wang; Yi Zhang; Marlene Oscar-Berman; Andrew Smolen; Marcelo Febo; David Han; Thomas Simpatico; Frans J Cronjé; Zsolt Demetrovics; Mark S Gold Journal: Postgrad Med Date: 2014-12-16 Impact factor: 3.840
Authors: Christian L Seifert; Stefano Magon; Till Sprenger; Undine E Lang; Christian G Huber; Niklaus Denier; Marc Vogel; André Schmidt; Ernst-Wilhelm Radue; Stefan Borgwardt; Marc Walter Journal: Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci Date: 2014-12-03 Impact factor: 5.270