title: Cerebral metabolic dysfunction and impaired vigilance in recently abstinent methamphetamine abusers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methamphetamine (MA) abusers have cognitive deficits, abnormal metabolic activity and structural deficits in limbic and paralimbic cortices, and reduced hippocampal volume. The links between cognitive impairment and these cerebral abnormalities are not established.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed cerebral glucose metabolism with [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in 17 abstinent (4 to 7 days) methamphetamine users and 16 control subjects performing an auditory vigilance task and obtained structural magnetic resonance brain scans. Regional brain radioactivity served as a marker for relative glucose metabolism. Error rates on the task were related to regional radioactivity and hippocampal morphology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Methamphetamine users had higher error rates than control subjects on the vigilance task. The groups showed different relationships between error rates and relative activity in the anterior and middle cingulate gyrus and the insula. Whereas the MA user group showed negative correlations involving these regions, the control group showed positive correlations involving the cingulate cortex. Across groups, hippocampal metabolic and structural measures were negatively correlated with error rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dysfunction in the cingulate and insular cortices of recently abstinent MA abusers contribute to impaired vigilance and other cognitive functions requiring sustained attention. Hippocampal integrity predicts task performance in methamphetamine users as well as control subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90024-1759, USA. elondon@mednet.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Edythe D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: London
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Voytek
authors.forename: Sara L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mandelkern
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Monterosso
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Arthur L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Brody
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Geaga
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Kiralee M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rawson
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001284:Atrophy; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D008694:Methamphetamine; D005947:Glucose