Neuroimaging of Betel quid dependence

Abstract

Betel quid dependence(BQD)is a chronic recurrent brain disease characterized by loss of self-control and compulsive repeated use of drugs, which conforms to the characterics of addictive behavior classified by the World Health Organization.Long term chewing Betel nut can increase the risk of a variety of cancers such as oral cancer.The BQD research lacks the ideal animal model whereas the mechanism of BQD is still not clear, and there is no effective treatment and prevention. Notably, neuroimaging technology has provided a non-invasive, quantitative assessment method for the neural mechanism of BQD. The author summarized the neural mechanism and imaging studies progress of BQD, and these findings provided preliminary objective evidence for the brain changes of BQD, which was helpful for the deep understanding of the neuropathic mechanism of BQD, and provided theoretical basis for the early intervention and treatment. Key words: Betel quid dependence; Neural mechanism; Magnetic resonance imaging; Neuroimaging