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The Relationship Between Regional Cerebral Blood Flow Estimates and Alcohol Problems at 5‐Year Follow‐Up: The Role of Level of Response
Author(s) -
Courtney Kelly E.,
Infante Maria Alejandra,
Brown Gregory G.,
Tapert Susan F.,
Simmons Alan N.,
Smith Tom L.,
Schuckit Marc A.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/acer.13998
Subject(s) - alcohol , placebo , cerebral blood flow , alcohol consumption , alcohol dependence , neuroimaging , medicine , psychology , linear regression , anesthesia , psychiatry , pathology , biochemistry , chemistry , alternative medicine , machine learning , computer science
Background Acute alcohol consumption is associated with temporarily increased regional cerebral blood flow (CBF). The extent of this increase appears to be moderated by individual differences in the level of response (LR) to alcohol's subjective effects. The low LR phenotype is a known risk factor for the development of alcohol problems. This study investigates how the low LR phenotype relates to the relationship between alcohol‐related changes in CBF and alcohol problems 5 years later. Methods Young adults (ages 18 to 25) were selected based on their LR to alcohol and underwent a neuroimaging protocol including arterial spin labeling and functional scans. These participants were recontacted ~5 years later and assessed on alcohol outcomes. A final sample of 107 subjects (54 low and 53 high LR subjects) was included in the analyses. Whole‐brain analysis revealed 5 clusters of significant alcohol‐induced, versus placebo‐induced, CBF changes that were consistent with a previous report. Peak alcohol–placebo CBF response was extracted from these regions and, along with the LR group, submitted to a hierarchical linear regression predicting alcohol problems. Analyses controlled for age, sex, and baseline alcohol problems. Results In the regression analysis, greater alcohol–placebo CBF difference in the right middle/superior/inferior frontal gyri and bilateral anterior cingulate gyri clusters predicted greater future alcohol problems for the low LR group, whereas this relationship was not found to be significant in the high LR group. Conclusions This study demonstrates a clinically important relationship between CBF and future alcohol problems, particularly in individuals with a low LR phenotype. These initial results help to elucidate the neurobiological pathways involved in the development of alcohol use disorders for individuals with low LR.