Abstract
ObjectivesMany studies reported structural brain changes in patients with alcohol dependence (PADs). However, no studies identified structural correlates of apathy that might aggravate alcohol misuse. Here, we explored regional differences in cortical thickness in PADs relative to healthy controls (HCs), and examined the potential correlation of regional thickness with the severity of apathy.MethodsMagnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 33 male PADs and 35 male age- and education-matched HCs. We used the FreeSurfer software to investigate group differences in cortical thickness across 148 regions. Apathy was evaluated using the Lille Apathy Rating Scale-Informant (LARS-I). Regression analyses examined the relationship between cortical thickness of regions of interest and apathy score in PADs.ResultsCompared to HCs, PADs showed significant decreases in the cortical thickness of occipito-temporal cortex (OTC), including the left middle occipital gyrus and occipital pole, right superior occipital gyri, and bilateral lingual gyrus; bilateral superior parietal cortex (SPC), including the right intraparietal sulcus; and bilateral inferior parietal cortex (IPC). Furthermore, the cortical thickness of all of the three regions was negatively correlated with the apathy total scores. The cortical thickness of the IPC was also negatively correlated with the action initiation subscore of the LARS-I.ConclusionsThe current results suggest the thickness of bilateral parietal and occipital temporal cortices as neural markers of apathy in PADs. These findings add to the literature by identifying the neural bases of a critical clinical feature of individuals with alcoholism.
Highlights
Alcohol dependence (AD) is a chronic illness characterized by poor treatment outcomes and high relapse rates [1]
We identified 12 cortical regions of interest (ROIs) that differed significantly between PADs and HCs in thickness, and these regions belong to the occipital temporal cortex (OTC), superior parietal cortex (SPC), and inferior parietal cortex (IPC) [27]
For PADs, we focused on the OTC, SPC, and IPC and performed Pearson correlation analyses to evaluate the relationship between cortical thickness and apathy (T score and action initiation (AI) subscore)
Summary
Alcohol dependence (AD) is a chronic illness characterized by poor treatment outcomes and high relapse rates [1]. Alcohol and Apathy consumption [3,4,5,6,7] These deficits involved multiple brain networks that support executive control, salience response, and emotion regulation, which may directly or indirectly contribute to cognitive and motivational dysfunction in patients with AD [8, 9]. Almost all patients with severe alcohol dependence show diminished or lack of living practices except for drinking-related events, and executive dysfunction on alcohol abstinence [2, 14, 15]. Patients undergoing treatment for AD often relapse despite better knowledge and their intention to remain abstinent, reflecting impairments in volition and goal-directed behavior [16]. It is critical to investigate the neural correlates of apathy in AD
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