Li Yangding, Yuan Kai, Cai Chenxi, Feng Dan, Yin Junsen, Bi Yanzhi, Shi Sha, Yu Dahua, Jin Chenwang, von Deneen Karen M, Qin Wei, Tian Jie
School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071, Shaanxi, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, PR China.
School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071, Shaanxi, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, PR China.
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2015 Jun 1;151:211-9. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.03.023. Epub 2015 Apr 2.
Smoking during early adulthood results in neurophysiological and brain structural changes that may promote nicotine dependence later in life. Previous studies have revealed the important roles of fronto-striatal circuits in the pathology of nicotine dependence; however, few studies have focused on both cortical thickness and subcortical striatal volume differences between young adult smokers and nonsmokers.
Twenty-seven young male adult smokers and 22 age-, education- and gender-matched nonsmokers were recruited in the present study. The cortical thickness and striatal volume differences of young adult smokers and age-matched nonsmokers were investigated in the present study and then correlated with pack-years and Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND).
The following results were obtained: (1) young adult smokers showed significant cortical thinning in the frontal cortex (left caudal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), right lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)), left insula, left middle temporal gyrus, right inferior parietal lobule, and right parahippocampus; (2) in regards to subcortical striatal volume, the volume of the right caudate was larger in young adult smokers than nonsmokers; and (3) the cortical thickness of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and OFC were associated with nicotine dependence severity (FTND) and cumulative amount of nicotine intake (pack-years) in smokers, respectively.
This study revealed reduced frontal cortical thickness and increased caudate volume in the fronto-striatal circuits in young adult smokers compared to nonsmokers. These deficits suggest an imbalance between cognitive control (reduced protection factors) and reward drive behaviours (increased risk factors) associated with nicotine addiction and relapse.
成年早期吸烟会导致神经生理和脑结构变化，这可能会在以后的生活中促进尼古丁依赖。先前的研究已经揭示了额纹状体回路在尼古丁依赖病理学中的重要作用；然而，很少有研究关注年轻成年吸烟者和非吸烟者之间的皮质厚度和皮质下纹状体体积差异。
本研究招募了27名年轻男性成年吸烟者和22名年龄、教育程度和性别匹配的非吸烟者。本研究调查了年轻成年吸烟者和年龄匹配的非吸烟者的皮质厚度和纹状体体积差异，然后将其与吸烟包年数和尼古丁依赖的法格斯特罗姆测试（FTND）相关联。
获得了以下结果：（1）年轻成年吸烟者在额叶皮质（左侧尾侧前扣带回皮质（ACC）、右侧外侧眶额皮质（OFC））、左侧岛叶、左侧颞中回、右侧顶下小叶和右侧海马旁回出现明显的皮质变薄；（2）关于皮质下纹状体体积，年轻成年吸烟者右侧尾状核的体积大于非吸烟者；（3）右侧背外侧前额叶皮质（DLPFC）和OFC的皮质厚度分别与吸烟者的尼古丁依赖严重程度（FTND）和尼古丁摄入量（吸烟包年数）相关。
本研究表明，与非吸烟者相比，年轻成年吸烟者额纹状体回路中的额叶皮质厚度降低，尾状核体积增加。这些缺陷表明，与尼古丁成瘾和复发相关的认知控制（保护因素减少）和奖励驱动行为（风险因素增加）之间存在失衡。
