Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy
Open Access

Research Article

Frontal Metabolite Concentration Deficits in Opiate Dependence Relate to Substance Use, Cognition, and Self-Regulation

Donna E Murray^1,2*, Timothy C Durazzo^3,4, Thomas P Schmidt^1,2, Christoph Abé⁵, Joseph Guydish⁶ and Dieter J Meyerhoff^1,2

¹Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIND), San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA

²Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

³Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA

⁴Mental Illness Research Mental Illness Research and Education Clinical Centers; Sierra-Pacific War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto CA, USA

⁵Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Osher Center, Karolinska Institutet, Nobelsväg 9, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden

⁶Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

*Corresponding Author:

Donna E Murraya
Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIND)
San Francisco VA Medical Center
San Francisco, CA, USA
Tel: 415-221-4810 x2-2553
E-mail: donna.murray@ucsf.edu

Received date May 27, 2016; Accepted date July 8, 2016; Published date July 15, 2016

Citation: Murray DE, Durazzo TC, Schmidt TP, Abé C, Guydish J, et al. (2016) Frontal Metabolite Concentration Deficits in Opiate Dependence Relate to Substance Use, Cognition, and Self-Regulation. J Addict Res Ther 7:286. doi:10.4172/2155-6105.1000286

Copyright: © 2016 Murray DE, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Objective: Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) in opiate dependence showed abnormalities in neuronal viability and glutamate concentration in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Metabolite levels in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) or orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and their neuropsychological correlates have not been investigated in opiate dependence.

Methods: Single-volume proton MRS at 4 Tesla and neuropsychological testing were conducted in 21 opiatedependent individuals (OD) on buprenorphine maintenance therapy. Results were compared to 28 controls (CON) and 35 alcohol-dependent individuals (ALC), commonly investigated treatment-seekers providing context for OD evaluation. Metabolite concentrations were measured from ACC, DLPFC, OFC and parieto-occipital cortical (POC) regions.

Results: Compared to CON, OD had lower concentrations of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), glutamate (Glu), creatine +phosphocreatine (Cr) and myo-Inositol (mI) in the DLPFC and lower NAA, Cr, and mI in the ACC. OD, ALC, and CON were equivalent on metabolite levels in the POC and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration did not differ between groups in any region. In OD, prefrontal metabolite deficits in ACC Glu as well as DLPFC NAA and choline containing metabolites (Cho) correlated with poorer working memory, executive and visuospatial functioning; metabolite deficits in DLPFC Glu and ACC GABA and Cr correlated with substance use measures. In the OFC of OD, Glu and choline-containing metabolites were elevated and lower Cr concentration related to higher nonplanning impulsivity. Compared to 3 week abstinent ALC, OD had significant DLPFC metabolite deficits.

Conclusion: The anterior frontal metabolite profile of OD differed significantly from that of CON and ALC. The frontal lobe metabolite abnormalities in OD and their neuropsychological correlates may play a role in treatment outcome and could be explored as specific targets for improved OD treatment.

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