TY - JOUR
T1 - Anterior cingulum white matter is altered in tobacco smokers
AU - Baeza-Loya, Selina
AU - Velasquez, Kenia Marisela
AU - Molfese, David Lucas
AU - Viswanath, Humsini
AU - Curtis, Kaylah Nicole
AU - Thompson-Lake, Daisy Gemma Yan
AU - Baldwin, Philip Rupert
AU - Ellmore, Timothy Michael
AU - De La Garza, Richard
AU - Salas, Ramiro
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.
PY - 2016/4/1
Y1 - 2016/4/1
N2 - Background and Objectives The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is hypothesized to be involved in decision making and emotion regulation. Previous observations of drug dependent individuals indicate that substance dependence may be associated with cingulum white matter abnormalities. The present study evaluated cingulum white matter in cigarette smokers. Methods Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in adult tobacco smokers and healthy non-smoker controls (total N = 70) was performed in a 3T Siemens Trio MRI scanner. Results Analyses of DTI tractography of the cingulum in tobacco-smoking individuals and controls indicated that tobacco abusers have significantly reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) in the right cingulum. In addition, FA in the left cingulum white matter was negatively associated with the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence, a self-report measure of tobacco dependence severity. Conclusions The white matter of the cingulum is altered in a non-symmetrical way in tobacco smokers. An inverse relationship between FA and reported number of cigarettes per day was observed. Previous studies have also noted altered neural connectivity in cigarette smokers using similar methods. Similar white matter differences in the cingulum have been observed in methamphetamine dependent individuals and patients with dementia, which suggests that the cingulum may be altered by mechanisms not specific to tobacco exposure. Scientific Significance By better understanding the effects of tobacco abuse on the brain, we hope to gain insight into how drug dependence influences the neurological foundations of behavior.
AB - Background and Objectives The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is hypothesized to be involved in decision making and emotion regulation. Previous observations of drug dependent individuals indicate that substance dependence may be associated with cingulum white matter abnormalities. The present study evaluated cingulum white matter in cigarette smokers. Methods Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in adult tobacco smokers and healthy non-smoker controls (total N = 70) was performed in a 3T Siemens Trio MRI scanner. Results Analyses of DTI tractography of the cingulum in tobacco-smoking individuals and controls indicated that tobacco abusers have significantly reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) in the right cingulum. In addition, FA in the left cingulum white matter was negatively associated with the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence, a self-report measure of tobacco dependence severity. Conclusions The white matter of the cingulum is altered in a non-symmetrical way in tobacco smokers. An inverse relationship between FA and reported number of cigarettes per day was observed. Previous studies have also noted altered neural connectivity in cigarette smokers using similar methods. Similar white matter differences in the cingulum have been observed in methamphetamine dependent individuals and patients with dementia, which suggests that the cingulum may be altered by mechanisms not specific to tobacco exposure. Scientific Significance By better understanding the effects of tobacco abuse on the brain, we hope to gain insight into how drug dependence influences the neurological foundations of behavior.
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U2 - 10.1111/ajad.12362
DO - 10.1111/ajad.12362
M3 - Article
C2 - 27001211
AN - SCOPUS:84961770686
SN - 1055-0496
VL - 25
SP - 210
EP - 214
JO - American Journal on Addictions
JF - American Journal on Addictions
IS - 3
ER -