title: Microstructural disruption of white matter in heroin addicts revealed by diffusion tensor imaging: a controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine white matter integrity in heroin-dependent patients and matched normal controls with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).
  
  
  METHODS
  The fractional anisotropy was compared between 15 heroin-dependent patients and 15 controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found the fractional anisotropy was significantly decreased in specific brain regions of the heroin-dependent patients (P<0.001 uncorrected), including the frontal gyrus, the parietal lobule, the insula, and the corpus callosum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of microstructural abnormality is found in the white matter of several brain regions of heroin-dependent patients.
authors.affiliation: Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
authors.forename: Xuyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xuhui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yanhui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Jinsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Tieqiao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D056784:Leukoencephalopathies / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult