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Accumbens functional connectivity during reward mediates sensation-seeking and alcohol use in high-risk youth.

ABSTRACT: Differences in fronto-striatal connectivity in problem substance users have suggested reduced influence of cognitive regions on reward-salience regions. Youth with a family history of alcoholism (FH+) have disrupted ventral striatal processing compared with controls with no familial risk (FH-). As sensation-seeking represents an additional vulnerability factor, we hypothesized that functional connectivity during reward anticipation would differ by family history, and would mediate the relationship between sensation-seeking and drinking in high-risk subjects.Seventy 18-22 year olds (49 FH+/21 FH-) performed a monetary incentive delay task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Group connectivity differences for incentive (reward/loss) vs. neutral conditions were evaluated with psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analysis, seeded in nucleus accumbens (NAcc). Indirect effects of sensation-seeking on drinking volume through accumbens connectivity were tested.NAcc connectivity with paracentral lobule/precuneus and sensorimotor areas was decreased for FH- vs. increased for FH+ during incentive anticipation. In FH+, task-related functional coupling between left NAcc and supplementary sensorimotor area (SSMA) and right precuneus correlated positively with sensation-seeking and drinking volume and mediated their relationship. In FH-, left NAcc-SSMA connectivity correlated negatively with sensation-seeking but was not related to drinking.These results suggest preexisting differences in accumbens reward-related functional connectivity in high-risk subjects. NAcc coupling with SSMA, involved in attention and motor networks, and precuneus, a default mode structure, appear to mediate sensation-seeking's effect on drinking in those most at-risk. Differences in accumbens connectivity with attention/motor/default networks, rather than control systems, may influence the reward system's role in vulnerability for substance abuse.

SUBMITTER: Weiland BJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3546225 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Accumbens functional connectivity during reward mediates sensation-seeking and alcohol use in high-risk youth.

Weiland Barbara J BJ Welsh Robert C RC Yau Wai-Ying Wendy WY Zucker Robert A RA Zubieta Jon-Kar JK Heitzeg Mary M MM

Drug and alcohol dependence 20120905 1-2

<h4>Background</h4>Differences in fronto-striatal connectivity in problem substance users have suggested reduced influence of cognitive regions on reward-salience regions. Youth with a family history of alcoholism (FH+) have disrupted ventral striatal processing compared with controls with no familial risk (FH-). As sensation-seeking represents an additional vulnerability factor, we hypothesized that functional connectivity during reward anticipation would differ by family history, and would med ...[more]

PMID: 22958950

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Project description:BackgroundUsing balanced placebo designs, seminal alcohol administration research has shown individuals' beliefs about whether they have consumed alcohol, irrespective of the actual presence of alcohol, can determine level of alcohol consumption and impact social behavior. Despite the known effect of expecting alcohol on drinking behavior, few studies have used the placebo manipulation to directly investigate the neural underpinnings of the expectancy-related effects that occur following perceived alcohol consumption in humans. The present paper examined placebo responses in the laboratory to better understand the neural basis for the psychological phenomenon of expectancies.MethodsAs part of a larger within-subjects study design, healthy young adults (N = 22, agemean+SD=23 +1) completed resting state fMRI scans and measures of subjective response before and after consuming placebo beverages. Effect of placebo beverage consumption (pre- versus post-beverage consumption) on functional connectivity within prefrontal cortical networks was examined using the CONN Toolbox. Relations between perceived subjective response to alcohol with functional connectivity response following placebo beverage consumption were examined.ResultsCompared to pre-beverage scan, placebo beverage consumption was associated with increased positive functional connectivity between right nucleus accumbens - ventromedial prefrontal cortex and subcallosal cingulate cortex (pFDR<0.05). Subjective ratings of intoxication (i.e., feeling 'drunk') positively correlated with placebo beverage-related increases in nucleus accumbens - subcallosal cingulate cortex functional connectivity.ConclusionResults suggest placebo response to alcohol is associated with increased functional connectivity within a key reward network (nucleus accumbens - ventromedial prefrontal cortex and subcallosal cingulate cortex) and put forth a mechanism by which alcohol expectancies may contribute to the subjective experience of intoxication.

Dataset Information

Accumbens functional connectivity during reward mediates sensation-seeking and alcohol use in high-risk youth.

Publications

Accumbens functional connectivity during reward mediates sensation-seeking and alcohol use in high-risk youth.

Similar Datasets

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