Jun-Cheng Weng1,2, Te-Wei Kao1, Guo-Joe Huang3, Yeu-Sheng Tyan1,2, Hsien-Chun Tseng4, Ming-Chou Ho5,6. 1. Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. 2. Department of Medical Imaging, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 3. Department of Psychology, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec. 1, Chien-Kuo N. Road, Taichung, 402, Taiwan. 4. Department of Radiation Oncology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 5. Department of Psychology, Chung Shan Medical University, No.110, Sec. 1, Chien-Kuo N. Road, Taichung, 402, Taiwan. mingchou@csmu.edu.tw. 6. Clinical Psychological Room, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. mingchou@csmu.edu.tw.
Abstract
RATIONALE: Betel quid (BQ) is a common addictive substance in many Asian countries. However, few studies have focused on the influences of BQ on the brain. It remains unclear how BQ can affect structural brain abnormalities in BQ chewers. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to use generalized q-sampling imaging (GQI) to evaluate the impact of the neurological structure of white matter caused by BQ. METHODS: The study population comprised 16 BQ chewers, 15 tobacco and alcohol controls, and 17 healthy controls. We used GQI with voxel-based statistical analysis (VBA) to evaluate structural brain and connectivity abnormalities in the BQ chewers compared to the tobacco and alcohol controls and the healthy controls. Graph theoretical analysis (GTA) and network-based statistical (NBS) analysis were also performed to identify the structural network differences among the three groups. RESULTS: Using GQI, we found increases in diffusion anisotropy in the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), the midbrain, the bilateral angular gyrus, the right superior temporal gyrus (rSTG), the bilateral superior occipital gyrus, the left middle occipital gyrus, the bilateral superior and inferior parietal lobule, and the bilateral postcentral and precentral gyrus in the BQ chewers when compared to the tobacco and alcohol controls and the healthy controls. In GTA and NBS analyses, we found more connections in connectivity among the BQ chewers, particularly in the bilateral anterior cingulum. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provided further evidence indicating that BQ chewing may lead to brain structure and connectivity changes in BQ chewers.
RATIONALE: Betel quid (BQ) is a common addictive substance in many Asian countries. However, few studies have focused on the influences of BQ on the brain. It remains unclear how BQ can affect structural brain abnormalities in BQ chewers. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to use generalized q-sampling imaging (GQI) to evaluate the impact of the neurological structure of white matter caused by BQ. METHODS: The study population comprised 16 BQ chewers, 15 tobacco and alcohol controls, and 17 healthy controls. We used GQI with voxel-based statistical analysis (VBA) to evaluate structural brain and connectivity abnormalities in the BQ chewers compared to the tobacco and alcohol controls and the healthy controls. Graph theoretical analysis (GTA) and network-based statistical (NBS) analysis were also performed to identify the structural network differences among the three groups. RESULTS: Using GQI, we found increases in diffusion anisotropy in the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), the midbrain, the bilateral angular gyrus, the right superior temporal gyrus (rSTG), the bilateral superior occipital gyrus, the left middle occipital gyrus, the bilateral superior and inferior parietal lobule, and the bilateral postcentral and precentral gyrus in the BQ chewers when compared to the tobacco and alcohol controls and the healthy controls. In GTA and NBS analyses, we found more connections in connectivity among the BQ chewers, particularly in the bilateral anterior cingulum. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provided further evidence indicating that BQ chewing may lead to brain structure and connectivity changes in BQ chewers.
Authors: Mark E Walton; Timothy E J Behrens; Mark J Buckley; Peter H Rudebeck; Matthew F S Rushworth Journal: Neuron Date: 2010-03-25 Impact factor: 17.173