@article{ref1,
title="Accumbens functional connectivity during reward mediates sensation-seeking and alcohol use in high-risk youth",
journal="Drug and alcohol dependence",
year="2013",
author="Weiland, Barbara J. and Welsh, Robert C. and Yau, Wai-Ying Wendy and Zucker, Robert A. and Zubieta, Jon-Kar and Heitzeg, Mary M.",
volume="128",
number="1-2",
pages="130-139",
abstract="Background: Differences in fronto-striatal connectivity in problem substance users have suggested reduced influence of cognitive regions on reward-salience regions. Youth with a family history of alcoholism (FH+) have disrupted ventral striatal processing compared with controls with no familial risk (FH-). As sensation-seeking represents an additional vulnerability factor, we hypothesized that functional connectivity during reward anticipation would differ by family history, and would mediate the relationship between sensation-seeking and drinking in high-risk subjects. Methods: Seventy 18-22 year olds (49 FH+/21 FH-) performed a monetary incentive delay task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Group connectivity differences for incentive (reward/loss) vs. neutral conditions were evaluated with psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analysis, seeded in nucleus accumbens (NAcc). Indirect effects of sensation-seeking on drinking volume through accumbens connectivity were tested. Results: NAcc connectivity with paracentral lobule/precuneus and sensorimotor areas was decreased for FH- vs. increased for FH+ during incentive anticipation. In FH+, task-related functional coupling between left NAcc and supplementary sensorimotor area (SSMA) and right precuneus correlated positively with sensation-seeking and drinking volume and mediated their relationship. In FH-, left NAcc-SSMA connectivity correlated negatively with sensation-seeking but was not related to drinking. Conclusions: These results suggest preexisting differences in accumbens reward-related functional connectivity in high-risk subjects. NAcc coupling with SSMA, involved in attention and motor networks, and precuneus, a default mode structure, appear to mediate sensation-seeking's effect on drinking in those most at-risk. Differences in accumbens connectivity with attention/motor/default networks, rather than control systems, may influence the reward system's role in vulnerability for substance abuse.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0376-8716",
doi="10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.08.019",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.08.019"
}