title: Neurophysiological capacity in a working memory task differentiates dependent from nondependent heavy drinkers and controls.
abstract: Determining the neurobehavioral profiles that differentiate heavy drinkers who are and are not alcohol dependent will inform treatment efforts. Working memory is linked to substance use disorders and can serve as a representation of the demand placed on the neurophysiology associated with cognitive control.
  
  
  
  Behavior and brain activity (via fMRI) were recorded during an N-Back working memory task in controls (CTRL), nondependent heavy drinkers (A-ND) and dependent heavy drinkers (A-D). Typical and novel step-wise analyses examined profiles of working memory load and increasing task demand, respectively.
  
  
  
  Performance was significantly decreased in A-D during high working memory load (2-Back), compared to CTRL and A-ND. Analysis of brain activity during high load (0-Back vs. 2- Back) showed greater responses in the dorsal lateral and medial prefrontal cortices of A-D than CTRL, suggesting increased but failed compensation. The step-wise analysis revealed that the transition to Low Demand (0-Back to 1-Back) was associated with robust increases and decreases in cognitive control and default-mode brain regions, respectively, in A-D and A-ND but not CTRL. The transition to High Demand (1-Back to 2-Back) resulted in additional engagement of these networks in A-ND and CTRL, but not A-D.
  
  
  
  Heavy drinkers engaged working memory neural networks at lower demand than controls. As demand increased, nondependent heavy drinkers maintained control performance but relied on additional neurophysiological resources, and dependent heavy drinkers did not display further resource engagement and had poorer performance. These results support targeting these brain areas for treatment interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA. Electronic address: michael.wesley@uky.edu.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wesley
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, Lexington, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lile
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, Lexington, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Mark T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Fillmore
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Porrino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Addiction; Alcohol; Executive function; Working memory; fMRI