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Mapping cortical and subcortical asymmetries in substance dependence: Findings from the ENIGMA Addiction Working Group
Author(s) -
Cao Zhipeng,
OttinoGonzalez Jonatan,
Cupertino Renata B.,
Schwab Nathan,
Hoke Colin,
Catherine Orr,
Cousijn Janna,
Dagher Alain,
Foxe John J.,
Goudriaan Anna E.,
Hester Robert,
Hutchison Kent,
Li ChiangShan R.,
London Edythe D.,
Lorenzetti Valentina,
Luijten Maartje,
MartinSantos Rocio,
Momenan Reza,
Paulus Martin P.,
Schmaal Lianne,
Sinha Rajita,
Sjoerds Zsuzsika,
Solowij Nadia,
Stein Dan J.,
Stein Elliot A.,
Uhlmann Anne,
Holst Ruth J.,
Veltman Dick J.,
Wiers Reinout W.,
Yücel Murat,
Zhang Sheng,
Jahanshad Neda,
Thompson Paul M.,
Conrod Patricia,
Mackey Scott,
Garavan Hugh
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
addiction biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.445
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1369-1600
pISSN - 1355-6215
DOI - 10.1111/adb.13010
Subject(s) - psychology , addiction , substance dependence , alcohol dependence , nucleus accumbens , cocaine dependence , methamphetamine , neuroscience , nicotine , brain asymmetry , cannabis , psychiatry , medicine , lateralization of brain function , alcohol , central nervous system , chemistry , biochemistry
Brain asymmetry reflects left‐right hemispheric differentiation, which is a quantitative brain phenotype that develops with age and can vary with psychiatric diagnoses. Previous studies have shown that substance dependence is associated with altered brain structure and function. However, it is unknown whether structural brain asymmetries are different in individuals with substance dependence compared with nondependent participants. Here, a mega‐analysis was performed using a collection of 22 structural brain MRI datasets from the ENIGMA Addiction Working Group. Structural asymmetries of cortical and subcortical regions were compared between individuals who were dependent on alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, methamphetamine, or cannabis ( n = 1,796) and nondependent participants ( n = 996). Substance‐general and substance‐specific effects on structural asymmetry were examined using separate models. We found that substance dependence was significantly associated with differences in volume asymmetry of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc; less rightward; Cohen's d = 0.15). This effect was driven by differences from controls in individuals with alcohol dependence (less rightward; Cohen's d = 0.10) and nicotine dependence (less rightward; Cohen's d = 0.11). These findings suggest that disrupted structural asymmetry in the NAcc may be a characteristic of substance dependence.