Disrupted white matter integrity in heroin dependence: a controlled study utilizing diffusion tensor imaging.
OBJECTIVE
Fractional anisotropy (FA) via diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can quantify the white matter integrity. Exposure to addictive drugs, such as alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and nicotine has been shown to alter FA. White matter abnormalities have been shown, but it remains unclear whether the white matter FA is altered in heroin dependence.


METHODS
Utilizing DTI, we investigated the FA difference between heroin-dependent and control subjects by a voxel-based strategy. The FA values of the identified regions were calculated from the FA image of each subject and were correlated with clinical features including months of heroin use, age, education, and dose of methadone.


RESULTS
Reduced FA among 16 heroin dependent subjects was located in the bilateral frontal sub-gyral regions, right precentral and left cingulate gyrus. FA in the right frontal sub-gyral was negatively correlated with duration of heroin use.


CONCLUSIONS
The disrupted white matter integrity in right frontal white matter may occur in continuous heroin abuse.
Liu
Haihong
H
Institute of Mental Health, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
Li
Lin
L
Hao
Yihui
Y
Cao
Dong
D
Xu
Lin
L
Rohrbaugh
Robert
R
Xue
Zhimin
Z
Hao
Wei
W
Shan
Baoci
B
Liu
Zhening
Z
D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D008691:Methadone