Decreased volume of the brain reward system in alcoholism.

摘要: Background Reinforcement of behavioral responses involves a complex cerebral circuit engaging specific neuronal networks that are modulated by cortical oversight systems affiliated with emotion, memory, judgment, and decision making (collectively referred to in this study as the "extended reward system" or "reward network"). We examined whether reward-network brain volumes reduced alcoholics how subcomponents within system correlated memory drinking history. Methods Morphometric analysis was performed on magnetic resonance scans 21 abstinent long-term chronic alcoholic men healthy control men, group-matched age, verbal IQ, education. derived total subcortical reward-related structures including dorsolateral-prefrontal, orbitofrontal, cingulate cortices, insula, well amygdala, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens septi (NAc), ventral diencephalon. Results analyses regions revealed decreased volume subjects. Volume reduction most pronounced right dorsolateral-prefrontal cortex, anterior NAc, left amygdala. In alcoholics, NAc insula increased length abstinence, amygdala positively scores. Conclusions The observation suggests alcoholism is associated alterations neural system. These structural deficits their correlation scores elucidate underlying structural-functional relationships between emotional cognitive processes.