TY - JOUR
T1 - Chronic cigarette smoking in healthy middle-aged individuals is associated with decreased regional brain n-acetylaspartate and glutamate levels
AU - Durazzo, Timothy C.
AU - Meyerhoff, Dieter J.
AU - Mon, Anderson
AU - Abé, Christoph
AU - Gazdzinski, Stefan
AU - Murray, Donna E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Society of Biological Psychiatry.
PY - 2016/3/15
Y1 - 2016/3/15
N2 - Background Cigarette smoking is associated with metabolite abnormalities in anterior brain regions, but it is unclear if these abnormalities are apparent in other regions. Additionally, relationships between regional brain metabolite levels and measures of decision making, risk taking, and impulsivity in smokers and nonsmokers have not been investigated. Methods In young to middle-aged (predominately male) nonsmokers (n = 30) and smokers (n = 35), N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline-containing compounds, creatine-containing compounds (Cr), myo-inositol (mI), and glutamate (Glu) levels in the anterior cingulate cortex and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) were compared via 4-tesla proton single volume magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Groups also were compared on NAA, choline-containing compounds, Cr, and mI concentrations in the gray matter and white matter of the four cerebral lobes and subcortical nuclei/regions with 1.5-tesla proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Associations of regional metabolite levels with neurocognitive, decision-making, risk-taking, and self-reported impulsivity measures were examined. Results Smokers showed lower DLPFC NAA, Cr, mI and Glu concentrations and lower lenticular nuclei NAA level; smokers also demonstrated greater age-related decreases of DLPFC NAA and anterior cingulate cortex and DLPFC Glu levels. Smokers exhibited poorer decision making and greater impulsivity. Across the sample, higher NAA and Glu in the DLPFC and NAA concentrations in multiple lobar gray matter and white matter regions and subcortical nuclei were associated with better neurocognition and lower impulsivity. Conclusions This study provides additional novel evidence that chronic smoking in young and middle-aged individuals is associated with significant age-related neurobiological abnormalities in anterior frontal regions implicated in the development and maintenance of addictive disorders.
AB - Background Cigarette smoking is associated with metabolite abnormalities in anterior brain regions, but it is unclear if these abnormalities are apparent in other regions. Additionally, relationships between regional brain metabolite levels and measures of decision making, risk taking, and impulsivity in smokers and nonsmokers have not been investigated. Methods In young to middle-aged (predominately male) nonsmokers (n = 30) and smokers (n = 35), N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline-containing compounds, creatine-containing compounds (Cr), myo-inositol (mI), and glutamate (Glu) levels in the anterior cingulate cortex and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) were compared via 4-tesla proton single volume magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Groups also were compared on NAA, choline-containing compounds, Cr, and mI concentrations in the gray matter and white matter of the four cerebral lobes and subcortical nuclei/regions with 1.5-tesla proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Associations of regional metabolite levels with neurocognitive, decision-making, risk-taking, and self-reported impulsivity measures were examined. Results Smokers showed lower DLPFC NAA, Cr, mI and Glu concentrations and lower lenticular nuclei NAA level; smokers also demonstrated greater age-related decreases of DLPFC NAA and anterior cingulate cortex and DLPFC Glu levels. Smokers exhibited poorer decision making and greater impulsivity. Across the sample, higher NAA and Glu in the DLPFC and NAA concentrations in multiple lobar gray matter and white matter regions and subcortical nuclei were associated with better neurocognition and lower impulsivity. Conclusions This study provides additional novel evidence that chronic smoking in young and middle-aged individuals is associated with significant age-related neurobiological abnormalities in anterior frontal regions implicated in the development and maintenance of addictive disorders.
KW - Brain metabolites
KW - Cigarette smoking
KW - Decision making and impulsivity
KW - Magnetic resonance
KW - Neurocognition
KW - Spectroscopy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84958907377&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.03.029
DO - 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.03.029
M3 - Article
C2 - 25979621
AN - SCOPUS:84958907377
SN - 0006-3223
VL - 79
SP - 481
EP - 488
JO - Biological Psychiatry
JF - Biological Psychiatry
IS - 6
ER -