title: Decreased Thalamocortical Connectivity in Chronic Ketamine Users.
abstract: Disintegration in thalamocortical integration suggests its role in the mechanistic 'switch' from recreational to dysregulated drug seeking/addiction. In this study, we aimed to address whether thalamic nuclear groups show altered functional connectivity within the cerebral cortex in chronic ketamine users. One hundred and thirty subjects (41 ketamine users and 89 control subjects) underwent rsfMRI (resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging). Based on partial correlation functional connectivity analysis we partitioned the thalamus into six nuclear groups that correspond well with human histology. Then, in the area of each nuclear group, the functional connectivity differences between the chronic ketamine user group and normal control group were investigated. We found that the ketamine user group showed significantly less connectivity between the thalamic nuclear groups and the cortical regions-of-interest, including the prefrontal cortex, the motor cortex /supplementary motor area, and the posterior parietal cortex. However, no increased thalamic connectivity was observed for these regions as compared with controls. This study provides the first evidence of abnormal thalamocortical connectivity of resting state brain activity in chronic ketamine users. Further understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms of the thalamus in addiction (ketamine addiction) may facilitate the evaluation of much-needed novel pharmacological agents for improved therapy of this complex disease.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, The China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Health Disorders, National Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China.|Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, United States of America.
authors.forename: Yanhui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, The China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Health Disorders, National Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China.|Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jinsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The People's Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Jianbin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The People's Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: An
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, The China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Health Disorders, National Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China.|Department of Addiction Medicine, Hunan Brain Hospital, Changsha, China.|Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, United States of America.
authors.forename: Maritza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, The China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Health Disorders, National Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Xuyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, The China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Health Disorders, National Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Qijian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, The China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Health Disorders, National Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Hongxian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, The China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Health Disorders, National Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, The China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Health Disorders, National Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Tieqiao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, The China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Health Disorders, National Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Xiaogang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Brainnetome Center and National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, The China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Health Disorders, National Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000633:toxicity*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007649:Ketamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D007649:Ketamine