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Morphometric Biomarkers of Adolescents With Familial Risk for Alcohol Use Disorder
Author(s) -
Maksimovskiy Arkadiy L.,
Oot Emily N.,
Seraikas Anna M.,
Rieselbach Maya,
Caine Carolyn,
Sneider Jennifer T.,
CohenGilbert Julia E.,
Harris Sion K.,
Nickerson Lisa D.,
Rohan Michael L.,
Silveri Marisa M.
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.14201
Subject(s) - amygdala , alcohol use disorder , family history , psychology , anxiety , prefrontal cortex , magnetic resonance imaging , conduct disorder , clinical psychology , cognition , audiology , hippocampus , developmental psychology , medicine , psychiatry , neuroscience , alcohol , biology , biochemistry , radiology
Background While many adolescents exhibit risky behavior, teenagers with a family history (FH+) of an alcohol use disorder (AUD) are at a heightened risk for earlier initiation of alcohol use, a more rapid escalation in frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption and developing a subsequent AUD in comparison with youth without such family history (FH−). Neuroanatomically, developmentally normative risk‐taking behavior parallels an imbalance between more protracted development of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and earlier development of limbic regions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐derived volumetric properties were obtained for these structures in FH+ and FH− adolescents. Methods Forty‐two substance‐naïve adolescents (13‐ to 14‐year‐olds), stratified into FH+ ( N = 19, 13 girls) and FH− ( N = 23, 11 girls) age/handedness‐matched groups, completed MRI scanning at 3.0T, as well as cognitive and clinical testing. T1 images were processed using FreeSurfer to measure PFC and hippocampi/amygdalae subfields/nuclei volumes. Results FH+ status was associated with larger hippocampal/amygdala volumes ( p < 0.05), relative to FH− adolescents, with right amygdala results appearing to be driven by FH+ boys. Volumetric differences also were positively associated with family history density ( p < 0.05) of having an AUD. Larger subfields/nuclei volumes were associated with higher anxiety levels and worse auditory verbal learning performance ( p < 0.05). Conclusions FH+ risk for AUD is detectable via neuromorphometric characteristics, which precede alcohol use onset and the potential onset of a later AUD, that are associated with emotional and cognitive measures. It is plausible that the development of limbic regions might be altered in FH+ youth, even prior to the onset of alcohol use, which could increase later risk. Thus, targeted preventative measures are warranted that serve to delay the onset of alcohol use in youth, particularly in those who are FH+ for an AUD.