Mood disturbances and regional cerebral metabolic abnormalities in recently abstinent methamphetamine abusers.
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.
London
Edythe D
ED
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
Simon
Sara L
SL
Berman
Steven M
SM
Mandelkern
Mark A
MA
Lichtman
Aaron M
AM
Bramen
Jennifer
J
Shinn
Ann K
AK
Miotto
Karen
K
Learn
Jennifer
J
Dong
Yun
Y
Matochik
John A
JA
Kurian
Varughese
V
Newton
Thomas
T
Woods
Roger
R
Rawson
Richard
R
Ling
Walter
W
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
D001786:Blood Glucose; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D008694:Methamphetamine