title: Mood disturbances and regional cerebral metabolic abnormalities in recently abstinent methamphetamine abusers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mood disturbances in methamphetamine (MA) abusers likely influence drug use, but the neurobiological bases for these problems are poorly understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess regional brain function and its possible relationships with negative affect in newly abstinent MA abusers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups were compared by measures of mood and cerebral glucose metabolism ([18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography) during performance of a vigilance task.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were recruited from the general community to a research center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen abstaining (4-7 days) MA abusers (6 women) were compared with 18 control subjects (8 women).
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-reports of depressive symptoms and anxiety were measured, as were global and relative glucose metabolism in the orbitofrontal, cingulate, lateral prefrontal, and insular cortices and the amygdala, striatum, and cerebellum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Abusers of MA provided higher self-ratings of depression and anxiety than control subjects and differed significantly in relative regional glucose metabolism: lower in the anterior cingulate and insula and higher in the lateral orbitofrontal area, middle and posterior cingulate, amygdala, ventral striatum, and cerebellum. In MA abusers, self-reports of depressive symptoms covaried positively with relative glucose metabolism in limbic regions (eg, perigenual anterior cingulate gyrus and amygdala) and ratings of state and trait anxiety covaried negatively with relative activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and left insula. Trait anxiety also covaried negatively with relative activity in the orbitofrontal cortex and positively with amygdala activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abusers of MA have abnormalities in brain regions implicated in mood disorders. Relationships between relative glucose metabolism in limbic and paralimbic regions and self-reports of depression and anxiety in MA abusers suggest that these regions are involved in affective dysregulation and may be an important target of intervention for MA dependence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California-Los Angeles, 760 Westwood Plaza, PO Box 175919, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1759, USA. elondon@mednet.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Edythe D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: London
authors.forename: Sara L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mandelkern
authors.forename: Aaron M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lichtman
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bramen
authors.forename: Ann K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Shinn
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miotto
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Learn
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Matochik
authors.forename: Varughese
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kurian
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rawson
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003863:Depression / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012016:Reference Values; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D008694:Methamphetamine