White-matter abnormalities in adolescents with long-term inhalant and cannabis use: a diffusion magnetic resonance imaging study.
BACKGROUND
There is growing evidence that inhalants are neurotoxic to white matter, yet limited work has been conducted to investigate the neurobiologic effects of long-term exposure among adolescent users, despite inhalant use being most prominent during this developmental period.


METHODS
We used diffusion tensor imaging to examine white-matter integrity in 11 adolescents who used inhalants, 11 matched cannabis users and 8 drug-naive controls.


RESULTS
Although both groups of drug users had white-matter abnormalities (i.e., lower fractional anisotropy), abnormalities were more pronounced in the inhalant group, particularly among early-onset users.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study should be considered in light of its small sample size, cross-sectional design and the complex psychosocial background of long-term inhalant users.


CONCLUSIONS
White-matter abnormalities may underpin long-term behavioural and mental health problems seen in individuals with long-term inhalant use.
Yücel
Murat
M
Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, 35 Poplar Rd., Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. murat@unimelb.edu.au
Zalesky
Andrew
A
Takagi
Michael J
MJ
Bora
Emre
E
Fornito
Alex
A
Ditchfield
Michael
M
Egan
Gary F
GF
Pantelis
Christos
C
Lubman
Dan I
DI
D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058545:Inhalant Abuse / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000473:pathology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult